Fail to the King!
by Varanus
Summary: As ruler of the Netherworld, it's up to Almaz to win back his friends' trust and put a stop to the greatest threat the Academy has ever faced… provided he can survive long enough! But who can you trust in a world where you can't even trust your own sword?
1. All Things Considered

Well, here we go. This is an idea for a fic I've had floating around since I finished up the story of Disgaea 3. Specificaly, when I Youtube'd the Almaz ending.

It had hurt to watch.

So I thought about what the next step he could take would be and, a few weeks and several pages of depraved, maddened scrawls of plot later, this resulted. Then I took months to actually post it.

It's my first fic, which I'm writing for a few reasons.

1- To flesh out my storytelling chops.

2- To create a plotline and follow through on it (with foreshadowing and cliffhangers and running gags and everything!) and, of course,

3- For kicks and giggles.

Should be fun, folks. Hope you enjoy!

_disclaimer: Nippon Ichi (N1) characters are Nippon Ichi's characters._ All I own is an idea in my head and a pocketful of dreams...

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**Fail to the King!**

Tale of the Pure-Hearted... Overlord?

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_Chapter 1: All Things Considered..._

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Looking back, the advent of the new Overlord's reign had gone rather well. It is said the notoriety of an Overlord can be measured by the number of assassins sent to hunt him down, and at the moment, only one single kunoichi was dashing silently through the Deans offices, who was frankly rather confused.

There was a really good reason her confusion, not to mention the grievous lack of assassins. I assure you, normally standards would be much higher than this but, in the words of the Vato Brothers when interviewed after the fact, "Eet's been a preeetty weird week, ese."

Things had settled down after the initial chaos and rioting ignited by the declaration that the new Dean of Evil Academy was, in fact, a human Hero. That is, it had settled down to normal levels of chaos and destruction- the school had a reputation to keep up, Hero Overlord or no!

Riots were fairly common among the student body- in fact, the entire school had been engulfed in a free for all when Lord Mao and his allies went to face the terrifying Super Hero Aurum. This was a fight against Justice! A fight for Anarchy! A defiant struggle against the forces of Good! Then, after Lord Mao stormed out of the Dean's office, a handful of troubled vassals at his back and a furious shadow of anger dancing on his face, the entire school stood still. Silence rippling through the Netherworld in his wake as the news spread that something was _wrong._

And not the good, everyday, honour-student's-misdeeds-wrong.

_Wrong_-wrong.

Then the news came that Lord Mao's group had defeated the Super Hero and ended his reign of order, demons across campus rejoiced in celebrations... which became decidedly awkward when they heard about their new Dean. Turns out that, upon defeating Aurum, Lord Mao's former slave- Almaz was his name, right?- had in turn betrayed Mao and claimed the throne of Overlord for himself in startling honour student fashion. Who knew the wuss had it in him?

Of course, hearing that little gem, the Netherword imploded in on itself.

Not literally, of course, but it's a good description of what happened. Pandemonium exploded outside the gates of the Overlord's castle as demons rioted and rampaged in protest. All across the Netherworld demons gritted their fangs and fingered their weapons, itching for chances and excuses to revolt. This wasn't like the revolt against Aurum's brainwashed lackeys, this wasn't chaos born from defiance. It was chaos born from fear, a fear the student body would never admit. They were afraid this new Hero Overlord would be the same as the terrifying Super Hero, that Almaz would finish what Aurum began.

Of course, fighting him would have been much easier if he had actually showed up to the riots. No, the Hero just stayed holed up in the Deans office, protected by the former Overlord's defences, leaving the demon warriors outside to loiter menacingly (or so they hoped) outside the gates and ninjas bouncing off invisible walls in their efforts to break in.

"I mean, seriously, how long does it take this guy to finish gloating?" said some of the second year rioters after a long day of fighting. They were crowded around a bonfire outside their classrooms, barbequing some of the tastier looking lower classmen they had faced that day. "Maybe it's a human thing? Or a plot to deceive us?" asked another, a samurai wearing a yellow bandana around his neck.

"No, don't you see?" said a silky, commanding voice. The second years turned to see their year head, Master Big Star approach their circle. Flourishing with practiced elegance, he looked each of his vassals in the eye. "He is a Hero, deception is beneath him." He paused, a perfect rose held to his nose as he pondered for a moment. "And considering the Hero in question, it's probably beyond him as well."

"So, what, are you saying we should support him? Mao's usurper?" growled the samurai, frustrated after the days fighting. "Sorry Master Big Star, but there's no way I'll trust a Hero, especially after Aurum brainwashed so many of our allies. Isn't that what our war was about? Opposing the oppressive Heroes?"

The sophomore leader merely chuckled. "No, Jericho, our war was to preserve our freedom, to ensure our lives followed the paths we carved ourselves, with the help of our friends."

"But how do you know _this_ hero won't-" Jericho's protest was cut off by Big Star's elegant laughter.

"Listen to yourselves? Do you not trust me? I joined the fray to test this Overlord, not to destroy him. Almaz has made no movement to oppress our chaos. Since I know him to be an honourable soul, his inaction is not a deception but…" Big Star paused dramatically here to snatch a glance at his vassals, a hand placed lightly over his heart. Enamoured? Enraptured? At the edges of their seats? Check, check and check. "…But rather, it is acceptance of our ways, mayhap even encouragement. Let us return to our dorms, friends, and follow the wind. Perhaps he shall deliver a golden age to the Netherworld? But fear not, my dear comrades," he concluded, casting an assured look of confidence to his soldiers. "Should it transpire that the Hero's intent is sinister, he shall know where to find us- among the battlefields of his demise!"

The demons cheered and celebrated, excepting Jericho and some of the other demons, who squirmed in their seats but couldn't deny his logic. The same was happening across the Netherworld, with tensions gradually loosening, partially, of course, because demons have low attention spans and were getting really bored but mainly because it was becoming more and more obvious that their new Overlord had no intentions whatsoever of turning the school into a delinquent haven, brainwashing honour students or declaring war on their carefree existences.

In fact, the truth was that Overlord Almaz had no intentions of affecting Evil Academy in any way at all…

Or leaving the damn throne room after his 'victories' over Aurum and Mao…

Or uncurling himself room the fetal position he had scrunched since then…

Or, you know, even doing anything at all.

A few of Mao's soldiers had stayed behind to try and rouse him, as well as drive off the few teachers and Diez Gentlemen left behind in the wake of the battles. When day two of Almaz's mental shutdown rolled around however, the remaining guardians collectively shrugged and said "Screw it". Almaz would have been impressed by their coordination, but might not have appreciated them leaving him curled up alone in the throne room.

It didn't occur to many in the Netherworld that humans, even those promoted to Overlord, have a nasty tendency to wither and die if they don't eat or drink for half a week…

It only occurred to one to actually _do _something about it. It would really be a shame if the new Overlord were to die, after all. Well… of starvation, at least.

Which is why there was one single kunoichi was dashing silently through the deans office hunting for the Overlord, very confused about her mission. Letting her feet guide her, the ninja thought back to her orders…

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"So, what, a top-secret mission to infiltrate the castle, track down Almaz and… babysit him?"

"Just… track him down and watch his back. Humans are fragile, they break easy, or so I've heard. I don't want some two bit honour student wannabe cheap shot him before I… Just stand by his side and guard him. You'll be paid well, I assure you. You know the way, right?"

The kunoichi nodded. "Of course. I was there during the storming of the castle and final battle, as well as…" Here she hesitated fractionally, but continued as if she had merely been taking a breath. "..The aftermath. I was there after the former Dean's declaration. But I… why do you even care?"

"How was he, during the aftermath? Smug? Arrogant? Proud?" her employer asked in turn. She thought it was a rhetorical question at first, but his silence demanded an answer.

"No… he was devastated, for some reason. After everybody left, he just… I don't know, became shell shocked. Wouldn't move or anything. Must be a human thing. But he's not in any danger, he's more powerful than any of us, plus we drove off all the Diez Gentlemen-"

"What about Aurum?"

She froze. "No… the Super Hero lost hard, he probably… ran away… right? Besides, he wouldn't attack a defenceless, comatose Overlord… right? Goes against, ah, that delinquent thing, what's the word… principles. Delinquent honour."

"What if Almaz doesn't snap out of it? What if he starves to death?"

"Is that why you told me to bring you those snacks?" the kunoichi exclaimed, jerking a finger to a bag full of buns, cup ramen, soda and the like. "I thought you were just hungry! Give me a break, it would take at least three months for somebody to die of starvation-"

"For a demon, yes. For a human, three days would be closer. Humans _are_ fragile after all."

"What? But- It's been almost four days!"

"It has indeed."

"Would he really… _could _he really be that stupid?"

"He can, and something tells me he is."

She edged towards the food, then shook her head again. "But why? Why do you even care? Wouldn't it be better for everyone if the Hero was dead? And why me?"

Her employer grinned knowingly. "Demons live freely to their hearts content. Since when did you start caring about what was supposedly best for everyone? I want the Hero to survive for my own reasons, as do you, I suspect."

She had stiffened at this, and cursed herself afterwards for displaying her emotions so clearly. What was the point of masking your face if your body gave away your feelings so openly?

"I'm not a delinquent, nor a hero fanatic. I defeated Diez Gentleman Gorillian the Effort Ninja myself, so you can't question my loyalty."

"Heh, exactly. You're loyal, both to your superiors and your friends, which is exactly why I'm sending you to aid him. I don't want him cut down before things get interesting, but I can't act directly myself. You understand, don't you, Aria?"

Aria nodded, sighing inwardly. There was no point in arguing with him- he had outmanuvered her protests and cut off all means of escape. Thus, as the ninja way dictated, there was only one option left to her. Face forward…

"Alright already. I'll go."

… and face this disaster head on.

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Spotting the Deans office, the throne room, up ahead, the ninja slowed her run, becoming more cautious. Glancing around, she adjusted her grip on her spear and sharpened her senses in case of an ambush. Finding no immediate threats or signs of life, she slinked through the massive doors that were still left ajar, exactly as they had been when she and the rest of Almaz and Mao's soldiers left the new Overlord curled up on the floor a few days ago.

'_Okay, scout around for Almaz's trail,'_ Aria thought, giving a preliminary glance into the room, _'then it's a simple matter of tracking him down and IS HE STILL LYING THERE?'_

Sure enough, there was the new Overlord, clenching his white coat like a safety blanket in the same way he had been since the battle, lying in the same spot. She hoped he had at least blinked during the three days. "Lord Almaz…" growled the kunoichi, approaching the curled up, non responsive Hero. "Why the hell are you still lying there? You had better not be dead, or so help me…" No response. She nudged him with her foot, then kicked him out of irritation. Still no response. '_Okay, this is kind of worrying…'_

She rolled him to his side, and winced- the most miserable, pitiable, puppy-eyed look in the known universe was frozen onto his features, pathetic misery etched into his face the likes of which Aria had never seen, never before been subjected to. It was a maelstrom of exaggerated sap and despair, so powerful and pervading that it overrode all of Aria's mental walls and instincts and reduced everything she knew at that moment into two simple options:

Comfort the source of misery, or destroy it.

Being a demon, the choice was rather easy. Almaz's expression had a much needed appointment with her fist.

"SNAP OUT OF IT YOU _MELODRAMATIC SAP!_"

A thunderous crunching sound resounded across the hall, the unmistakable sound of a skull clearly thicker and tougher than stone violently carving a crater in the pristine marble floors. The violent impact jarred Almaz's pity parade, as he blinked and spluttered, hands flying to his face to nurse his nose and skull injuries. Disorientated, he blearily glanced around the room for his attacker, his blue eyes meeting Arias' furious red ones.

"A-Aria? Is that you? Who just-?"

"I did! What exactly is your problem? You're the Overlord now!" Aria hissed, circling around a cowering Almaz like a bird of prey. "Don't you get it? You've become the most powerful, influential person in the Netherworld, something anybody would kill to be! Have killed even, and will kill for soon if you don't get your crap together!" She rounded on him, glaring at him with hellfire in her eyes. Almaz was caught like a sabercat looking down the cannon of a Baciel. "You didn't even have to betray your crazy Hero ways either! You became Overlord because you did, _Grendel strike me down_, the _'right thing'_! You should sitting on that throne, grasping the Netherworld with your iron fist! Declaring absurd laws and national holidays! Or, hell, even just celebrating with that princess of yours! Instead you're just-"

"…" Almaz's gaze broke from Aria's, and he mumbled something inaudible.

"What was that?" growled Aria, in no mood for his melancholy. He glanced back up to her, his depression forged into something stronger, something real.

"…How could I? Celebrate with Sapphire? She left… all of them left… and I just …"

Aria's anger rushed out of her suddenly, leaving her feeling… strange. Tired, shaky and somewhat empty. She knew the hero prized his friends greatly, placing his trust in each of them and, as a kunoichi, she had respected that aspect of him greatly. Warriors like her were always wary of companionship beyond that of comrades and battle buddies, always cautious against giving their trust completely, lest it be betrayed. A Hero, however, was a being supposedly powered by Love and Friendship, and if those were away ripped from him because he was trying to protect them... A heavy, uneasy silence descended between the new Overlord and the kunoichi, neither of them able to find the strength to break through.

Until Almaz's stomach growled noisily.

"I'm hungry," muttered Almaz redundantly, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

Aria shook her head, the corners of her mouth curling into a grin under her mask. "I'm not surprised, you've been out of it for nearly four days."

"Huh… I should be dead…" muttered Almaz absently, eying the bag of food Aria was reaching into. She tossed him a warm meat bun which he caught and, presumably, inhaled, beckoning for another. She tossed him a soda instead, taking one for herself and sitting down seisa style. She placed the bag between them, giving Almaz free reign over the snacks.

"Isn't that really uncomfortable? You're sitting on your feet…" Almaz asked through bites of pork buns and pizza slices.

Aria inclined her head in thought. "Eh, yeah, it's kinda sore, but you get used to it. Force of habit really, a kunoichi is loyal and respectful, so in the presence of the Overlord it's, ah, the word is… impulse. Compulsion to sit like this."

"Well, you don't have to," said Almaz, swallowing his mouthful of food. "I don't want to be Overlord. I mean, I came to Evil Academy to defeat the Overlord, not become him!"

Aria shifted her feet into a more comfortable position and inclined her head again, confused. "That's… that's generally how somebody becomes an Overlord, Lord Almaz. You just got lucky."

Almaz shook his head viciously, frowning. "Lucky? Mao, Rasberyl, all of my friends want to kill me!" His eyes widened. "Oh God, Sapphire! Even the Princess wants to kill me! And because of what? Because I'm suddenly the damn Overlord?"

"Just so you know, I don't think they're going to kill you," said Aria, cutting into his tirade before it could get started. He gave her a blank look. "Putting aside that you're stronger than Lord Mao, meaning they probably couldn't hurt you if they tried, there's the fact that, during the riots the students tried to get Lord Mao, Master Big Star and even Rasberyl to lead them, and-"

"Wait, riots?" Almaz jumped to his feet in a panic, knocking over his drink. "They're rioting? Because of me? Close by? Did they break in? How-"

"Hey, calm down, you spilled your soda," said Aria, unperturbed. Almaz sat back down, fidgeting and glancing around the room again. She handed him an iced tea. "Drink up, you need fluids after your hibernation, or whatever that thing was earlier." She took a swig of her own drink, momentarily pulling her mask down and replacing it when she was done. "Yeah, there've been riots across the Netherworld after the announcement that you became the next Overlord." Seeing Almaz flinch, she hastily added, "Standard fare, really. We demons just need an excuse for a riot, honestly."

"So, we're safe here, right?" asked Almaz, grinning nervously. "It's just that I don't think I'm really able to fight off assassins right now."

Aria rolled her eyes. "Fear not, brave Hero. The Deans office is surrounded by protective seals and defences, no assassin unaffiliated with you or Mao could dream of getting in."

"So who are all those guys over there?" said Almaz, pointing behind her, back towards the chamber doors. Aria whipped around, spear in hand, to face their foes. Along the edges of the room, to her shock, were the slumped, incapacitated forms of what looked like almost a hundred demons, piled up against the walls as if they had been blasted away by an explosion of power. How in hell did she miss that? More importantly, who in hell took them out? Surely not Almaz?

"Lord Almaz… you don't happen to have some sort of sleep-related special attack by any chance? Like, a legendary sword technique useable only when you're unconscious?"

"I… I don't_ think_ so. I mean, I managed to avoid _most_ of Mao's experiments, but…"

"I thought this might happen," announced a third voice from deeper in the room that chilled both the kunoichi and the young hero's blood in fear. "So I stayed behind to ensure nothing... untoward happened to the new Overlord."

Almaz and Aria turned slowly to face the lone figure, dressed in his vibrant red robes, leaning against an ornate pillar. That figure was the source of the voice, as well as the source of all their troubles.

Before them stood the Netherworld's greatest enemy- Super Hero Aurum.

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_Chapter 1 -end-_

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Varanotes: DundunDUUN! Also, Aria has _no _idea what sort of foods you're supposed to give a person who hasn't eaten for half a week. I mean, soda? Really Aria?

Yes, I'm using the whole _'OCs are members of your party through the story lol'_ but Aria isn't going to be hogging the spotlight or stepping on toes. The tale itself revolves around Almaz, Sapphire, Mao and all the other canon characters of the Disgaea universe. And when I say all...

Besides, Aria has a _rich_ and _interesting_ backstory! Okay, that was a lie, she spent hundreds of years screwing around as a Valkyrie before deciding to become a Ninja on the fly. Seriously, that's it.

I'll update as soon as I can, but they'll be erratic until Summer, when I'll actually have _time_ to work on a buffer. I just wanted to get this out in the wild. Reviews appreciated, they let me know I'm onto something here!

Until next time,

-Varanus


	2. All's Riot in the World

Thanks for the reviews, glad to see I've caught your interests! I'm working on a later chapter now, but I couldn't resist the urge to update any longer. Enjoy!

_disclaimer: N1's characters are N1's characters. Obvious statement is obvious. Tautology is repetitive._

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**Fail to the King!**

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_Chapter 2 - All's Riot in the World!_

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"_You fight only for revenge!" the scientist screeched at the hero as the terrifying monster roared from the summit of the mountain. __The hero scowled at the foolish man of science. "All you care about is using that thing as a weapon!" he retorted._

"Oh, sure, blame science. I wonder who made that nifty bodysuit you have, hero?"

Knock-knock-knock.

"_I fight… to protect the Earth! So that tragedy will not be repeated!" the hero shouted to the heavens as the beautiful girl leapt from the transport helicopter towards his outstretched hand. "That is why I fight with her!" he yelled as their hands met. The scientist stood by, flabbergasted by the display. "Engage!" _

"Huuff… huuff…"

Knock-knock-THUD. "Mao? You in there?"

_A flash of brilliant light obscured their vision__, and when it faded, the girl had become a ferocious dragon, with the man standing proud atop the majestic creature. "Now, we shall burn away this parasite from the world!" The dragon spread it's wings and opened it's maw, charging up a huge gout of blistering flame-_

"MAO! Jeeze, open the door! Don't make me assume you've gotten sick and force me to administer first-aid!"

Mao growled, tossing the comic aside and storming towards the door to his room in Evil Academy. Jerking it open, he glared darkly at the offender, his diminutive, red headed rival, Rasberyl.

"Oh, opening the door for a lady?" said Rasberyl slyly and, before he could open his mouth in protest, sauntered inside. "How considerate of you! We'll make a delinquent out of you yet, Mao! Mind if I take a seat?"

Ignoring the jab, he slammed the door shut and continued to glare as she plopped herself onto a cushion. They eyed each other, waiting to see who would break the silence first. To Rasberyl's surprise, Mao spoke first.

"What are you bothering me for, Rasberyl? You're interrupting vital research time."

She eyed the scattered comics and games around the room sceptically. "Yeah, I'll bet. Listen, now is not the time to be screwing around reading comics-"

"Performing vital research," he interrupted. She tossed her hands up in exasperation.

"Jeeze Mao! There's riots across the campus, the Netherworld even! Everyone's out for Sir Almaz's blood, students are going crazy and you're nowhere to be seen! I half expected you to have shanghaied them into an army by this point!"

Mao raised an eyebrow very deliberately at this, his face calm. "Why would you think that?"

Rasberyl paused, surprised. She had been Mao's rival for over fourteen thousand years, so she was pretty good at reading him. She had expected him to dismiss her, or argue, or even swear vengeance on Almaz… not act so… composed. It was kind of eerie… "It's just, you said that you were going to find a way to defeat Almaz, and since you're the Class Leader and number one Honour student, I thought you'd leap at the chance to turn half the Netherworld against Sir Almaz. You're smart enough to think of that at least, so why didn't you?"

Mao smirked, shaking his head. "Undermine his authority? Cut off his support and leave him defenceless? Pretty devious, Rasberyl, we'll make an honour student out of you yet!" Letting out a snort of laughter at his rival's expression, he turned to look out the windows of his room, watching the dark clouds in the distance. "Thing is, though, those losers wouldn't be following me because they fear and admire me, they'd be doing it because they fear and hate Almaz." He shook his head again, chuckling, but Rasberyl couldn't see his expression. Something like worry squirmed uneasily inside her.

"So, you don't hate Sir Almaz? He's still your friend?"

"W-what? Friend? Don't be stupid!" spluttered Mao, spinning around to face her. "Don't get me wrong, Almaz is just a… a good research specimen! Him being Overlord will add a whole new chapter to my demonic thesis; no matter how short his reign will be!"

Rasberyl grinned. Now _this_ was more like the Mao she knew. "So, what, you don't mind that he's Overlord?"

"Of course I do!" growled Mao, irate. "It should be me! I should be the one running this school – Almaz is a thousand years behind me in fiendishness and evil brilliance! But my stupid Dad's last declaration made Almaz Overlord, so now I'm stuck, aren't I?"

He rose from his seat and began pacing as his rant heated up. "You remember what Mr. Champloo said! Dad's wish was for a peaceful, unrestrained Netherworld, a haven for demons everywhere. That's why he set up Evil Academy, that's why he protected it from its enemies. But he chose Almaz! Over me! I've been spending every moment since Almaz defeated me scouring my peerless, 1.8 million EQ intellect for a way to surpass him, calculating the perfect way to prove that I'm better for the Netherworld than that stupid ex-fake hero. I'll beat Almaz, you can count on it, but on my terms, and my father's. I'll show Dad, I'll show Almaz, I'll show everybody that I'm the one this Netherworld needs on the throne!"

Rasberyl was stunned for a moment, then grinned like a catsaber after a meal. Seeing her rival, the arrogant, irresponsible, absent-minded genius, actually care about the school, actually give a damn about something larger than himself filled her with a glowing sense of pride. Could so much about him really have changed in one short month?

"Besides, I just found Almaz's secret comic stash," added Mao off-hand. "Can you believe he had the first five volumes of Dragnaut? B minus material, but still good. Not to mention the special edition box set of some anime called 'Gurren-Lagann', or whatever. He's been holding out on me!"

Rasberyl sighed wearily. Well, some things never change. She supposed it was reassuring. "Alright, but how are you gonna tell that to the demons rioting in the lobby? They're demanding to see you. They want you to lead them against Almaz."

Mao scowled, his mood souring instantly. "Demand, huh? So since I'm not the Overlord they forgot to fear me? Since Dad's gone, they think they can ignore his declarations? Bastards. I'll show them too."

He stormed out of his room leaving surprised Rasberyl in his wake, and saw the entrance hall to the Academy had become a sea of angry, rioting demons. Mao was momentarily taken aback – when Rasberyl and his vassals had said there were riots, he had clearly made miscalculations in his estimations of their scale. The massive hall, large enough to fit comfortably a thousand demons bustling from class to class, were packed full with snapping jaws and sharp claws as demons jostled for superiority. They piled upon one another like ants, forming mountains of bucking bodies and haphazardly swung weapons, flinging whoever reached the top back into the fray. Mao smirked as he saw a few Prinnies suffer that fate, flailing their limbs futilely as they fell. The air tingled with energy as spells and magic-filled attacks flew through the crowd, the familiar ozone scent mixing with the inevitable stench of blood, sweat and general demonic odor. Explosions decimated hundreds of demons at a time, ultimately doing no lasting damage, the sea of monsters simply flowing forward to fill any gaps available. Mao spotted most of his vassals crowded along the stairs, holding back the horde from approaching his room with well timed attacks and hurled spells. He saw the Vato Brothers and, presumably, their cousins holding a perimeter, as well as sighting Kyoko and Asuka leaping from staircase to staircase, aiding any of their friends who were in danger of being overwhelmed.

"How long did you say this riot was going on for?" he asked Rasberyl curiously, watching a mothman be skewered by a glowing blue arrow.

"Three days, you idiot, almost four now." Rasberyl rolled her eyes, casually flicking her finger through her ever present demonic tome. In the distance, pink explosions sent demons flying through the air like confetti from a streamer. "Haven't you spoken to anyone since you got back?"

"Nope. Was doing research, like I said. Not only that…" Mao replied, spotting a holy dragon swooping for him, dodging his vassal's ranged attacks. Mao crouched, focusing energy into his palm.

"… I specifically said…" The energy flared green, his focused anger becoming pure destruction. He leapt for the dragon, catching the startled monster by the throat and knocking them both out over the rolling mass of demons. Mao's fist flared even brighter, releasing a vibrating pulse of atmosphere that every demon in the room felt. For one single moment, every demon in Evil Academy's halls stood still to look up at Mao's arrival. Fortunately, all they needed was one moment to see the ensuing fireworks.

"DO! NOT! DISTURB!" The hapless holy dragon took the hatred-flare of Mao's Blast Finger head on, the blinding explosion sending it hurtling like a rocket into the rioting crowd, impacting hard and creating another shuddering explosion that tossed the dumfounded demons aside like so many ragdolls- literally, in the case of several unfortunate marionette demons. Shockwaves rocked the hall, cutting into the horde and knocking them out of their frenzy in the wake of Mao's attack.

Mao landed in the newly cleared space, dusting himself off and grinning darkly at his suddenly silent audience. The abrupt void of sound was almost as disconcerting as the cacophony of screams and roars that had filled the hall prior to Mao's arrival. "Heh, got your attention, do I?" he asked the stunned demons, still searching for their tongues. "I heard you wanted to talk to me? Well, I don't want to talk to you. Get lost. You're interrupting valuable research time. That is…" he chuckled darkly, tilting his head _just so_ in order for his glasses to reflect off the moonlight in an intimidating glare, "… unless you're volunteering to be research subjects? I've… huff… I've been hoping for an opportunity to experiment on how to turn regular demons into freakish ice golems…"

An Omega Sentinel growled, dislodging himself from a tangle of limbs and stomped his way over to Mao, towering above the freshmen class-leader in an effort to intimidate, followed by, Mao assumed, his 'posse'. "Oh, volunteering?" asked Mao dryly, devoid of humour.

"Like hell!" growled the Sentinel, his allies grinding their fangs. "You should've killed that loser Hero when you had the chance! Now this crappy school is screwed!" The mob began to murmur, buzzing with the beginnings of another riot. Mao didn't so much as twitch a muscle.

"It's your fault! You let him become strong, let him worm his way into the Academy instead of cutting his throat like any half-decent demon would have done!" The demons began to yell in agreement, the atmosphere becoming highly strung once again. Mao's face was expressionless stone, his red eyes still hidden under his glasses by the glare of the moon.

"We all saw it! He was just a weak, cowardly human! But now he's Overlord! And you won't do anything about it! Or maybe you _can't._" There was a collective gasp as the demons froze, silent with horror. From her vantage point on the stairway, Rasberyl stiffened. The sentinel, not noticing the silence or his comrades edging themselves away from him, brought his head down to Mao's level, rage in his eyes and a humourless smirk on his face. "He beat you, didn't he? Maybe you're too weak, huh? Maybe it's someone else's job to take the human's place, huh? Whatd'ya think about that, huh? Whatd'ya say to that?!"

The hall was so silent, so eerily silent, that every last demon could hear Mao's reply, his calm voice carrying itself crystal-clear across the bloody chamber as if it was a frosty winter night.

"I was gonna say for you to cool off, but I think I'd prefer it if you were to freeze entirely. _Giga Ice_."

The Omega Sentinel had one moment for a look of panic to cross his face before he was seized by a searing numbness as he was plunged into an aura of incomprehensible cold. He instinctively tried to step backwards, escape from this agony, only to find himself locked within a cage of solid ice, already an inch thick and growing thicker. His flesh and bones fractured and cracked, growing as hard and brittle as the ice that encased him, chaining him down more effectively than any metal restraint ever could. Then the ice shattered and he disappeared with it.

Mao spared a glance at the pile of blackened ice at his feet that was rapidly evaporating into mana, then glared at the crowd, smirking inwardly at their collective flinch. "Hmm… looks like my ice golem project still has some kinks to work out. This is why I hate my experiment time to be cut short…"

He took a step forward, and the horde took several frightened steps back. Smirking wider in his mind, he crossed his arms and darkened his glare. "Now listen up. My Dad, the founder of this Academy, named Almaz the new Overlord. You don't like it, too bad, so sad. Only a disgrace of a demon would come crying to someone else about it. I'm researching how to surpass Almaz and take his place, like so many of you _clearly_ want," he added, rolling his eyes. "But to do so, I don't need to be bothered by any… _distractions_. Are we clear?" The hall's temperature dropped several degrees at this comment, and the collected demons held their breaths, too petrified to move until the spell was broken, not daring to break from Mao's dark glare until he gave the signal.

"Out."

Good enough. There was a thundering roar of feet pounding the ground and underfoot demons alike as the horde surged back upon itself, stampeding down the hallways and through the doors of the hall to escape, some even leaping into the dimension gate without bothering to check their destination. Even the injured demons clawed there way out with amazing speed, quickly leaving Mao and his flabbergasted allies alone in the great hall.

"Mao…" began Rasberyl, only to be interrupted by a yawn.

"I'm taking a nap," said Mao, striding up the stairs without a second glance at the battlefield. "Don't disturb me for anything stupid like this again."

The door to his chambers slammed shut behind him, leaving his friends and vassals in stunned silence.

"Daaamn…" whistled Churro. "That was cold, weddo…"

* * *

The Netherworld being the typhoon of chaos, betrayal and evil plots that it was, it should come as little surprise to learn that hundreds of scheming devils had watched the scene unfold with intrigue dancing in their red eyes. Already ninja spies hidden in the shadows were fading into the shadows to deliver messages to their fiendish masters, thieves, sorcerers and succubae alike cackled as their ever-increasingly convoluted plans began to unfold and scores of warriors and mages clenched their fists, swearing to surpass their eternal rival, Mao.

Standard fare really – Barely worth commenting over. In fact, of all the demons hidden in the shadows watching the aftermath of Mao's show of force, only one lone, lupine demon is of any interest – He was the only one without an ulterior motive.

Perched on a towering pillar at the edges of the hall, the Cu Sith gave the huge hall a final, cautious scan before leaping off, landing as lightly as a breath of wind. He snorted the scent of the battle from his nose, keeping his head clear of any urges for bloodlust. No one noticed him swiftly exiting the hall, not even those hundreds of hidden eyes. Obviously they were to busy gloating to themselves. Sprinting down the halls so fast he seemed to be a dark gale, he reached his destination – His master's dormitory room.

Pawing the door open, he loped into the darkened chamber, spotting his master's slender body sprawled face-down across the large white bed that occupied much of the space in the room. The body squirmed, sensing his approach, but did not turn to face him. "Cyprus, is that you? You're back?" his master asked in a voice muffled by blankets.

"I have. The riots have passed," he announced in a clear, rumbling voice, sitting at the foot of the bed.

"That was sudden. By demon standards anyway," his master murmured gloomily.

"It was. Lord Mao interrupted them," replied Cyprus. There was a moment of silence where the wolf demon expected a reply. When none came, an uneasy feeling churned its way into his gut. Peering at his listless master worriedly, he continued speaking.

"Now that the way is clear, what are your plans?" he asked, eager to start conversation flowing. His master sighed, but did not reply.

"Do you plan on using the dimension gate to return home? I have longed to visit it after hearing your many tales," he ventured. Still no reaction from the figure on the bed.

"Shall we go search for Lady Rasberyl? I understand she's planning to… recruit some new volunteers for charity work. Perhaps you could help her?" he asked in a last ditch endeavour for speech.

"Perhaps…" sighed his master in a tired and melancholic voice.

Cyprus gave a rumbling growl, weary of this attitude, his startled master whipping to attention. "What is it, Cyprus? An enemy?"

"Why are you hesitating?" Cyprus growled, standing on all fours. His master's mouth opened to say something, but he cut off the reply before it could be heard. "All my short life I have watched you live with your heart unfettered. Why should it change now? Just because –" He paused, seeing his master turning away from him, her lightly tanned hands gripping the edges of the bed like a vice grip.

Cyprus sighed, sitting back down. "If it makes you feel better," he added delicately, "then know I will always be right behind you. Where you go, I follow. So, where to will you go?"

There was a heart stopping moment where Cyprus feared he had overstepped his boundaries, feared that his master would reject him for trying to be more useful to her than a dumb hound… but then she lifted her head, her melancholy replaced by determination, that confident spark lighting up in her emerald eyes again. She stood up from the bed and strode towards a wardrobe, her luxurious pale hair falling along her back. Glancing in a mirror to check her appearance, she hefted her axe onto her shoulder and grabbed her bow.

Armed and ready, she turned to Cyprus. "I'll go pay Almaz a visit," Princess Sapphire announced, beaming with a bright smile. "It's about time we celebrated his new job."

* * *

_Chapter 2 -end-_

* * *

Varanotes: Woo second chapter. Another OC introduced, Cyprus the Cu Sith. Yes, it's the dog from Sapphire's second skill. When I saw a chance to make a supporting character for Sapphire who was (kinda, sorta) halfway supported (if you squint) by canon, I couldn't resist. And, yes, they will pull off a Shunpo Moondance together. It'll be awesome, trust me. There will be explosions.

Again, updates are going to be weird. The chapters are shortish now, but the ones I'm working on now are easily twice the length of these earlier ones and growing, so they take longer to write for a newb like me. Still, it's fun going, so review and tell me if you were as satisfied reading as I was writing. (Hint: if you were in any way satisfied, that means you were more satisfied than me :P)

Oh, and if you thought Giga Ice was bad, wait until you see _Omega._

Until next time,

--Varanus


	3. Hasted, Wasted Resolve

_disclaimer: NIS characters are NIS' characters._

* * *

**Fail to the King!**

* * *

_Chapter 3: Hasted (makes Wasted) Resolve_

_

* * *

_

Standing between Almaz and the imposing figure of the Super Hero, Aria cursed herself for feeling fear. When she had faced him in battle it was Lord Mao and Almaz who had defeated him –she had only faced his lackey, the Diez Gentleman Gorrillian, and had barely been able to fight that enemy nin on equal footing. Luck had been as important to her as skill in that battle.

Aria gritted her teeth. She knew she stood no chance against a fully-recuperated Super Hero. At best, she was a distraction. Screw it. If she had to die so pointlessly, she might as well do it fighting to complete her mission.

"Lord Almaz, run!" she yelled, her voice carrying an unintended note of panic. Leaping upwards into the air towards Aurum, she twirled her spear around into position, saturating it with her demonic mana. Not even waiting to land, she stabbed violently at the hero repeatedly, grunting in frustration as he casually dodged her vicious attacks. Aurum sidestepped one blindingly fast attack to his gut and brought his hand down on the haft of her spear with deceptive force, embedding the blade deep into the marble flagstones of the throne room.

Undeterred, Aria let go of her weapon and swung her hand around as if attacking with another spear. Her demonic force flickered and a perfect duplicate of her spear appeared in her hand as she delivered the attack, already rearing her other arm back to grasp at another illusionary spear. An endless arsenal of spears now at her fingertips, her furious attacks redoubled as she stabbed and struck at the Super Hero, her duplicate spears cracking the marble as they stuck up to the haft into the flagstones, kicking up clouds of white dust. Flipping backwards onto her feet, she focused her energy into the point of her weapon, her true spear that only now re-appeared for the finale of the attack, releasing a roaring crimson beam of heat and fury into the marble cloud, the blinding attack cutting a trench half a foot deep into the ground.

Aria raised her spear again, panting lightly in exertion as the dust cloud parted, revealing Aurum's figure…

… standing unfazed in the tangle of fading illusionary spears, not a single scratch or singe on his clothes. Glancing down at the ground, she saw the trench cut by the blast ended at Aurum's feet. _'Of_ _course he's unharmed,' _she scowled inwardly,_ 'Did you really think it was going to be any different?' _Aurum stared impassively at her, then turned swiftly and caught a sword moving for his neck so fast it seemingly materialised from thin air. He slid across the floor a few feet from the force of the blow, gripping the blade in his hand.

Aria blinked, realising two things at once. First, that the attack Aurum blocked was delivered by Almaz. That _idiot _who could _barely stand _had stayed behind to help her instead of running away. _Idiot._

Second, Aurum's hand was bleeding. Somehow, Almaz had injured the Super Hero and knocked him back despite his crippling fatigue. She didn't know whether to be impressed or fearful, feeling a mix of both.

"Heh heh," chuckled Almaz wearily, "Looks like I'm more tired than I thought. I can't even summon up enough energy to pull off anything bigger than a Blade Rush…"

"It a good thing, then, that I only want a word with you, isn't it?" replied Aurum dryly.

"Eh?" exclaimed Almaz eloquently.

"Don't listen to him! It could be a trick!" yelled Aria, circling the two heroes for a better angle of attack.

"Miss Aria," said Aurum, still clutching Almaz's sword edge in his hand, "I have watched all of Mao's vassals in battle hundreds of times. I know what you all are capable of. You don't have the strength to defeat me. Neither of you do, not now." He turned to look at Almaz, who shrunk a bit under his gaze but maintained a firm grip on his sword's hilt. "If I wanted you dead, Almaz, I would have done it days ago, rather than protect you until you woke."

Almaz held Aurum's gaze, determined not to lose this battle of wills but curious despite himself. "So, why did you stay?" he asked cautiously.

"I wanted to apologise," said Aurum plainly.

Stunned silence filled the hall. "Umm… want to run that by me again?" asked Almaz.

Aurum released Almaz's sword and took a step back. "I want to apologise to you. You defended me, and because of that you lost everything precious to you. I had twisted your life, allowed, no, _encouraged_ Mao to turn you into a demon. I was the source of all your misery. Knowing this, you nevertheless stood between me and death by Mao's hand." Aurum turned his gaze away from Almaz, his face twisting in frustration. "You should hate me. You should have relished my death. I didn't want to be saved – I wanted to die in one final, climactic battle! So why did you defend me?!" he scowled furiously, half manic, at the silent Hero.

"… You've really forgotten how to be a hero, haven't you?" replied Almaz in a sad, quiet voice. Aurum's anger disappeared into startled surprise as Almaz regarded him tiredly. "'A hero must help the helpless.' Those were your words, even though you forgot what they meant. I couldn't just let Mao kill you after you were defeated. I wasn't just defending you, I was defending my friend too. If he killed you while I stood back and did nothing… I don't think either of us could have forgiven ourselves."

"Besides, I don't hate you," added Almaz casually, shocking both the Super Hero and the kunoichi circling them.

"W-why not?" exclaimed Aurum, his eyes widened with disbelief. "After everything I've done, you should despise me! It is because of me, because you stood in Mao's way that your friends, your Princess, abandoned you!"

Almaz flinched at this, dropping his gaze with a hurt look on his face. Aria tensed and readied her spear, prepared to leap between the two Heroes if Aurum made any movement, which is why she almost missed what Almaz muttered quietly.

"… It's because of you I met them in the first place." He lifted his head, a sad but determined look on his face. "Looking back, it was reading about your adventures made me want to become a hero in the first place," Almaz said with newfound conviction in his voice. "Believing in what you said helped me get the Princess to notice me. Even when I came to the Netherworld it was because of you I met Mao, Rasberyl and Mr. Champloo, and if I hadn't been stuck here trying to get my title back, I might never have gotten the chance to spend time with Sapphire. So, no, I don't hate you. Really, I don't. If anything…" Almaz sighed, looking away from Aurum, "…I pity you. How did the hero everyone admired… how did you end up like this?"

A lost look crossed the Super Hero's face as he let out a shuddering breath. "I was tired…" he replied honestly, a weariness etched into his voice that eclipsed Almaz's. "I was tired of fighting, always being demanded to be the strongest, the greatest. Never allowed to rest, never allowed to die… but at the same time… I was scared. I was so terrified the people would forget me, forget the struggles I went through for their sakes. So that's why I searched for the strongest Overlord in existence… to have one final, climactic battle that would be remembered forever…"

"And you thought Lord Mao could give you that battle?" asked Aria, becoming enraged by Aurum's words. "You killed his father, raised him to become an Overlord, faked you loyalty to him for _two hundred years_, just to satisfy your damn ego?" She snarled like only a demon could. "Whatever you thought was _heroic_ about your actions, you were wrong. You're no hero, you're not even worthy of being called a demon. You're just _scum_."

Aurum laughed, a sad, mirthless chuckle. "That's just it, isn't it? After so long, after so much time of being obsessed with fighting evil, I have forgotten what it is I'm fighting for. I have… nothing. No purpose. No family, no loved ones remaining to greet me home. Worse still, in my madness I have failed the two people who admired me most…." Aurum turned away from Almaz's shocked face, hanging his head in sadness. "Please, Overlord Almaz… kill me. End my miserable existence and let me fall to hell."

There was a clatter of metal behind him. Surprised, Aurum turned to see Almaz had thrown his sword to the ground, Aria stepping protectively to his side. "Lord Almaz! What are you doing? This is your chance!" she hissed into his ear. Almaz shook his head, a rare look of anger on his face.

"No. No way," said Almaz, glaring at Aurum. Aurum was momentarily too shocked at this for words. He had never seen the young man so furious. Come to think of it, he had rarely even seen him angry at all, despite everything that had happened to him. "I won't kill you. Even if I'm an Overlord, my heart hasn't changed. I'm still a hero!" Almaz declared, daring Aurum and Aria both to argue.

"B-but, why…?" spluttered Aurum, utterly perplexed.

"You've forgotten how to be a hero, that's why," answered Almaz. "Get out of the Netherworld, go wander the human world or somewhere even farther away. Try and remember how it was to be a hero, why you stood against evil in the first place. Then you'll understand why I'm letting you live."

Aria gaped at Almaz. He was letting the Super Hero go, after everything he had done? Aurum gaped at him as well, open disbelief written in his face, then broke into a lopsided, confused grin. "A new mission, huh? Search for a reason to live… instead of a place to die?" He said the words cautiously, as if not quite comprehending their meaning. Almaz nodded and Aurum's smile widened, edging on maniacal, his eyes flashing with conflicted emotions. Bitterness, outrage, confusion, disappointment, regret… and elation?

"I think you broke him, Lord Almaz…" whispered Aria.

"Very well then… I shall leave." said Aurum, composing himself. He turned and made his way for the grand doors, pausing before he passed through. "Overlord Almaz…" he began, then closed his eyes, catching his error. "No… Overlord _Hero_ Almaz. I hope that when next we meet, we will have both become something to admire."

"Yeah… me too…" replied Almaz with a nod. Aurum's mouth curled into the ghost of a true smile, and then he was gone, leaving behind a smear of red on the door from his bloody hand.

Aria sighed with relief, allowing the adrenalin in her body to subside. She frowned, looking at Almaz, who had sunk to his knees in exhaustion. Adrenalin was probably the only thing that kept him upright the entire confrontation. "Are you sure about that, Lord Almaz?" she asked him sceptically, securing her spear on her back.

Almaz glanced up at her blearily, returning his fallen sword to it's scabbard. "Eh, whatever. Too late for regrets. We'll fight him again if we have to. Besides," he said, pausing to yawn deeply, forcing Aria to suppress a yawn of her own, "We've got bigger problems."

Aria raised an eyebrow to this. "Such as?"

"How am I supposed to be the Overlord?!" he exclaimed with surprising energy. "I don't know the first thing about it! Is there a job description, or did Mao's dad just want me to wing it?!" He flopped onto his back, covering his face with his palms, groaning. "I wish there was someone who could tell me what's supposed to happen… I wish Mr. Champloo were here… or Sapphire…"

"Yeah, because the Princess is _so_ well informed about Overlords. Especially their kidnapping tendencies," said Aria sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Almaz let his hands fall from his face. "I know, I know…" he sighed reproachfully, to worn-out to build a defence. "I just wish… she were here…"

Aria bit back her retort, realising Almaz had fallen asleep, and glanced from him to the bloody stain on the hall doors, returning her gaze to the sleeping hero. She watched him carefully, as if it were the first time she had ever looked at him. In many ways, it was.

She remembered the first time she saw him, noticing him as she walked down the hallways of Evil Academy, if only because he was trailing behind Lord Mao into a classroom with a terrified look on his face. She had laughed to herself at his expression. '_Sucks to be in that class!' _she had thought.

Later that day she had been transferred into Mao's class. Not only that, she was stuck sitting beside Almaz. '_Karma's a funny thing'_, she had thought. Still did, actually.

She looked at the sleeping figure of the idiotic wannabe-hero, the idealistic human coward, the self-doubting, naive, panicky _warrior who cut the hand of Super Hero Aurum faster than her sharp red eyes could follow while half-dead_ _and made him bleed _and realised something that shocked her.

The previous Overlord was right. Almaz just might be able to pull it off.

But not alone. He needed a loyal vassal to aid him. Someone to silence threats before he knew of them, someone to provide and knowledge or intel he required. Well, it was her mission to stand by him, wasn't it? Aria felt a surge of resolve and energy flow into her solar plexus as the kunoichi realised her role in Almaz's story. Scooping his sleeping form up in her arms and hefting him over her shoulder, she grinned and set off for a safe resting spot.

"You sleep well," she murmured, leaping softly through the halls to avoid waking him. "When you wake up, I'll have everything nice and ready. You'll take the Netherworld by storm. You'll be remembered forever, I'll make sure of it, as Overlord Hero Almaz!"

* * *

As always, the streets through Evil Academy were shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from flaming braziers in the lampposts and the pale glow from the moon high above the clock tower. Shadows ran across the pavement like deep moats of black water, hiding a thousand potential dangers.

The poor visibility meant nothing to Sapphire, who trusted Cyprus' animal senses to lead the way. Besides, she found her eyes had adjusted extremely well to the bizarre lighting of the Netherworld. Be it the bright glare of inexplicably snowy classrooms or the distorted crystalline reflections inside Mao's heart, Sapphire found she could see clear and keen anywhere after only a few moments of adjustment. She didn't question why her senses had improved so much – Mao had just shrugged, uninterested, and said "built up mana," the one time she asked out of curiosity. Besides, she had more important things to contemplate than her eyesight.

Like her reason for why she was running with Cyprus to find Almaz in the first place.

When Cyprus had asked where she wanted to go, Sapphire could only think one thing. _'I want to see Almaz.'_ She knew it was the right course of action – She had felt the same when she had decided to find Evil Academy in the first place. She hadn't known what she was supposed to do then, only that she had to defeat the Overlord so no more warriors would get themselves killed for her sake. And somehow, it had worked out better than she had hoped. Almaz was there, no Overlords were planning to kidnap her and she found herself more at home among the lackadaisical demons than she did in her own world.

That is, until Aurum ruined everything. He put Almaz through so much pain, he manipulated poor Mao for so long and it was because of him Almaz was stuck being the Overlord.

"_Oh ho! Almaz, you're now the Overlord, huh? It can't be helped. Now that it's happened, I must defeat you before I'm kidnapped.__"_

Sapphire cringed as the memory of Almaz's stricken face as she cheerfully said those words. _'Who am I trying to fool? Just admit it to yourself. I wanted to cry, to scream at Mao's dad, but instead I just… hid behind a smile as usual…'_ thought Sapphire mournfully. _'I have to find Almaz. When I do I'll…'_

'…_I'll what?'_ Sapphire slowed down, her train of thought becoming troubled. Apologise? Fight him? She knew she'd have to defeat him eventually, it was inevitable. The Overlord had to be defeated, otherwise heroes and warriors would throw themselves to their deaths in order to protect her, to _please_ her. If it had been Mao who became the Overlord there wouldn't be a problem. Almaz would be there to protect her in the people's eyes, so no one would set off for the Netherworld to try and defeat Mao, simply to die on the path. She had never mentioned it to Almaz, but she had almost been killed dozens of times making her way to the Netherworld, and she was more powerful than anyone else in the Rhodonite Kingdom. It was too difficult a journey for just any warrior to make. There was no other way to stop them but to defeat Almaz.

Unless, of course, she simply stayed in the Netherworld, with him. Perhaps the people would assume she was dead? She decided against that idea as quickly as it appeared. She couldn't stay here, not forever. She had promised her father she would return safely, it wouldn't be fair to her people, who saw her as a beacon of hope. It would be a betrayal of their trust. The only way she could stay in the Netherworld was if Almaz kidnapped her, which she reckoned with a dull pang in her chest that that probably wouldn't happen.

Sapphire skidded to a halt. Where had _that_ thought come from? Did… did she _want_ Almaz to kidnap her?

A growl from Cyprus shook her out of her thoughts. She glanced at him, and he motioned toward a figure in the darkness walking swiftly through the streets. Curious, she followed the figure as he turned into an alley and saw him raise a faintly glowing hand to the wall, casting a spell. She gave a quiet gasp as the alley lit up into a vortex of light and motion as the spell pierced the dimensional fabric of the Netherworld, creating a Dimensional gateway.

However, it wasn't the gate that surprised her most, but its architect. An unassuming figure familiar to anyone acquainted with Lord Mao, but to his friends and vassals it was a demon they could only view as an enemy – Geoffrey, Mao's former butler.

The alter-ego of Super Hero Aurum, escaping the Netherworld after his defeat. Escaping from punishment for hurting Almaz, for ruining everything. Sapphire scowled, her pent up anger and frustration at herself and Almaz's situation focusing on the retreating Super Hero. Without a second thought, Sapphire leapt into the gate after Aurum, her wolf unquestioningly at her heel, as always.

The world spun and images shifted before her eyes, spinning flashes of different locals twisting around like a kaleidoscope of infinite size. She focused the image of Aurum in her mind, determined not to lose him, and the world resolved itself into a rocky, bizarre landscape. The blackness of space surrounded her and flashes of colour flew around her as she found her bearings, letting her strong eyes adjust to the familiar scene around her. She recognised this place –It was the end of barren path to the human world, where the vortex leading to her home world was located.

This was where she watched Mao fight and overcome the darkness inside his heart. This was where Almaz gave his life to help his friend. This was where he died and she couldn't even shed a tear in sadness.

This was where he returned to her and where, for the first time, she wept freely, in joy.

Sapphire swallowed, overcome by the memories. Feeling Cyprus nudge her clenched fist, she snapped out of her reminiscence, realising Aurum was quickly approaching the portal in the centre of the spiralling path.

"Stop right there, Sir Aurum!" she yelled, racing up the path and aiming her bow at his position. Before he could react, she had pulled back the string to it's limits, poured her energy into the bow until the bowstring hummed with power and released the attack. However, instead of an arrow hurtling towards Aurum, a pulse of blue light scattered into a dozen arcing beams of energy, all seeking the Super Hero. Aurum only had time to widen his eyes in shock at the surprise attack when the beams struck home, detonating against him in an explosion of earth-shaking force.

"Is he dead already?" asked Sapphire cautiously, unable to see through the thick cloud of dust her Psycho Mirage had kicked up. Cyprus growled protectively. "No… but he's not moving from that spot…" Sapphire nocked an arrow and kept it trained on the dust cloud as it settled. A gust of wind blew over the spot, courtesy of Cyprus, revealing Aurum clutching his shoulder in pain, his arm raised defensively over his head.

"Hold your fire, I yield," he said, falling to one knee in surrender. "Why are you following me?" he asked, confusion on his face.

"I'm not going to just let you escape from your crimes!" declared Sapphire. "I don't know what tricks or plans you'll try next, but I won't just stand by and let you go free. Not after everything you did to Mao and Almaz!"

"You still care about Almaz?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at her.

"Of course I do!" snapped Sapphire instantly.

"Then why did you abandon him? You should be by his side. He was quite hurt when you left," said the ex-hero.

"Don't you _dare_ talk to me about hurting Almaz." Sapphire growled in a deathly tone.

The two stared each other down until Aurum raised his hand and opened his palm to her. Sapphire could see a fresh gash cut into it, still bleeding slightly. "I… am beginning to understand my crimes." Aurum said in a calm voice. "Almaz gave this cut to me when I confronted him, not an hour ago. I wanted him to kill me as punishment for twisting his life around. Instead, he gave me a new mission – to find a new reason to exist."

He stood upright, dropping his hand and turning away from them. "I only want to disappear, to wipe my sins from the world. I have no plots or ambitions left, I swear. Farewell, Princess." With that, he stepped into the vortex and disappeared from the demon world, leaving Sapphire and her guardian alone in silence.

* * *

For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Aurum feet met the soil of the human world. Silently, took a few hesitant steps forward as he took in the view, the scenery calm and serene. He was standing at the edge of a swirling, shining pool of water inside a hidden valley of a mountain path. The high mountains around him shielding the spot from view but still allowed a wide beam of cascading light to fill the secret spot. He remembered this place, of his early adventures battling the demons that emerged from the gateway. He noted the obelisks that stood around the portal, carved with wards to deter demons. Not that they worked, he noted, not feeling any discomfort at their presence. Maybe they just remembered their craftsman. He breathed in deeply, letting the clean air fill his lungs. There was no sound except for the whistling of the wind in this lonely valley. Perhaps… perhaps he could find peace after all…

"Hold it, you! I'm not done with you yet!" snapped a voice behind him.

Then again, perhaps not.

Spinning around, he came face to face with an irate Princess Sapphire, who was swinging a battleaxe overhead. Sidestepping to avoid her heavy downward swing, he cursed under his breath as Cyprus leaped for him, aiming to skewer him with his sharp bladed horn. Aurum managed to clamp down on the wolf's dagger horn with his bleeding hand, arresting the demon's charge. With a feral growl, Cyprus twisted his head and pounced to Aurum's side, jerking the former hero off-balance and spinning him around, dizzying him momentarily. Before he could orient himself, Aurum was punched hard in the chest by a freezing weight and pounded with blasts of wind laced with the stench of ozone. Blown off his feet by the powerful attacks, he landed roughly on the ground, the icy weight growing and pinning him down to the grass. Arching his neck around, he saw the Princess and her wolf ready themselves for another volley of attacks, the air faintly humming in the wake of their special attacks.

"W-why are you still attacking me?!" he spluttered. "I surrendered! I left you in peace! Couldn't you read the mood?"

"I wasn't done talking to you," said Sapphire matter-of-factly. "If you try to run off again, I'll just cut your legs off, understand?"

"As I recall, he can fly. Perhaps you should pin him down with some arrows?" commented Cyprus helpfully.

"Oh, smart thinking!" chimed Sapphire, grinning. Aurum swallowed nervously.

"Now, now, wait a moment, please, Princess," he said hurriedly, before she got any other bright ideas. "I know I have greatly wronged Almaz, but you punishing me isn't going to help him, is it?" Sapphire leered at him curiously, but as she said nothing Aurum took that as a sign to continue.

"He's lost right now. He needs help if he's going to be a great Overlord! He needs you…" Aurum stopped, seeing Sapphire turn her head with a strange look on her face. "What is the matter? You said you cared for him. Why do you have to fight him?" he inquired, becoming genuinely curious.

"I do care about him… I want to stay… but…" murmured Sapphire. She sighed wearily. "If I stay, I'll betray the trust of my people. If I leave without defeating the Overlord, others claiming to be heroes will die trying to reach the Netherworld, to fight Almaz. I… I can't…" she trailed off, massaging the side of her head with her palm.

Aurum exhaled deeply, a surge of something he had forgotten he could feel flowing into his chest – Sympathy. How long had it been? "So…" he said to her with a sad grin, "I guess the will of the beloved public stands in the way of your happy ending too…"

Sapphire's eyes shot at him, swimming with surprise, and she him gave a slight smile in return. "Hmm… I suppose so…"

There was another silence between them, where only the lonely wind could be heard whispering through the valley. Then the ice weighing him down dissolved into nothing, and Aurum lifted himself up slowly, wincing slightly from his injuries.

"Sorry for attacking you," said Sapphire quietly, not meeting his gaze. Cyprus narrowed his eyes at Aurum, but raised no objections.

"You were perfectly justified and well-reasoned," he replied. A small lie, which felt so familiar, he realised. "I deserve much worse than this as it is." The truth, still somewhat awkward, after so long. He ignored these thoughts and turned to the Princess. "What will you do?"

"I need to see Almaz," Sapphire said honestly, "I was on my way there before I spotted you. I need to see him. Maybe then I'll figure out what to do next."

"No, you won't be going anywhere," said a bored voice they didn't recognise. Aurum and Sapphire spun around to spot the source of the voice, seeing no one.

"Above the pool!" barked Cyprus, tensing in anticipation for battle.

Floating high above the portal, they saw the owner of the voice. A young man, seemingly about Sapphire's age, stared impassively down at them with blank red eyes. However, the demon was clearly older than her by far, as he bore deep bags etched under his eyes and stringy grey hair- not shiny silver or platinum, but a dull aged grey, left to grow long, in the style of a heretic priest. He wore white robes sewn with a golden pattern- at least, they had once been white. Now they were dirty and discoloured from age and misuse, but oddly remained free from creases and tears regardless. Sapphire assumed off-hand that they were uncreased so they could billow in the wind dramatically in the event that situations like this arose. Like they were doing now.

Sapphire quickly decided diplomacy was useless against such a clearly suspicious character and took the only reasonable course of action she saw available. She shot him with an arrow.

Which he caught inches from his face with ease. "What, seriously?" he asked, arching a grey brow slightly but otherwise remaining impassive. He twirled the arrow on his finger like a drumstick. "I mean, I'm obviously up to no good, but that was a bit quick off the mark there, don't you--" The arrow in his finger exploded with a fanfare, engulfing the robed demon in a blast of energy and flames. Flailing wildly, the demon plummeted into the glowing pool below, creating a huge splash in the quiet waters.

"Forgive me, Sapphire, I didn't sense him until he announced himself," apologised Cyprus, hanging his head in shame.

Sapphire waved his apologies away. "Never mind that now," she said, edging towards the pool where the tattered demon floated face-down. "Who was that demon? Was he a friend of yours, Aurum?"

Aurum scowled in disbelief. "No, he wasn't, but what if he was? You struck him down knowing neither his name nor his reasons for being here!"

"First to strike, first to win," replied Sapphire, as if it explained everything. "Besides, it's not like he was going to explain his evil plot to us straight off the bat."

"She does have a point there," said the demon, rolling over onto his back and letting himself float on the water. Seeing his opponents shift their stances, preparing for an attack, he snorted derisively. "Relax, I'm not gonna fight you. That little arrow of yours stung quite a bit, Princess, and I don't feel like another taste. As it is, I really don't think I could take on all three of you right now anyway."

Kicking his legs lazily he propelled himself slowly around the pool, letting the pull of the gently spiralling current do most of the work for him. "You see, I'm one of those intellectuals who fight with their wits," he explained, casually gliding though the glowing water. "I'm not going to challenge you head on. Not my style. No, instead I'd play to my strengths and work indirectly. I'd do something like infiltrate, say, Evil Academy, perhaps gain the Overlord's trust, sow discord among the demons and ultimately make the whole damn place crumble in on itself, letting me seize all the power I want. Get the picture?" he asked, arching a lazy eyebrow at Sapphire and Aurum. Ripples from the demon's movement lapped against the pool's bank as gentle waves.

"Who the hell are you?" growled Aurum, readying himself to transform into his demonic form at a moment's notice.

"Not a member of you fanclub, if that's what you're wondering," answered the grey haired demon, actual annoyance on his face. "Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you? Your presence by the Overlord's son set back our plans over two hundred years. Even when I find you might have served some purpose to me, you go and disappoint me right at the finishing line. Most of my allies got bored and left. Do you realise how difficult it's going to be to gather them together again? Far too much effort, no question." He blinked, realizing something. "Oh, you wanted my name? Hmm… well, they used to call me, what was it…'Cinos'. Don't look into it, it's just a lousy nickname I got because my real name is too long. Stupid, I know, but it stuck."

"Why are you telling us all of this if you're not going to fight?" asked Sapphire, suspicious but confused.

The gray haired demon, Cinos, snorted again. "Because you won't be able to stop me, that's why." He suddenly sunk into the pool, and the water began churning and bursting with wisps of light. "I'm going to be engulfing the Netherworld into oblivion." Cinos's voice boomed throughout the valley. Despite its volume, his voice remained devoid of emotion, remained cold, _certain. _"I'm going to sit on a throne made from your precious friend's corpses. I'm going to grind your boyfriend's bones under my feet, I'm going to plunge his soul into darkest despair and I'm going to do all of this, little girl, _just because I can._"

The pool was a frothing maelstrom now, pulsing franticly with bursts of light. Sapphire covered her eyes to protect them from the pulsating brightness of the pool, her skin becoming drenched from the water kicked up from the pool, soaking her to the skin in chilly, ozone scented water.

"And there won't be a single thing you can do about it," said Cinos, his voice echoing harshly around them. The water exploded upwards in a great plume of water, casting a shadow over the stunned group.

Watching in shock as the huge plume of water crashed back down to earth as a deluge of rain, Sapphire realised something terrible.

The water's glow was gone. With mounting horror, she recognized what Cinos had done.

He had closed the gate between the worlds. The gate even Super Hero Aurum needed to use to travel to the Netherworld.

She was stranded back home. Cut off from Evil Academy.

Cut off from Almaz, permanently.

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_Chapter 3 -end-_

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Varanotes: dundunDUUUN!

I bet you all were expecting Aurum to be the villain in all this, but no. I took some inspiration from the Super Hero Ending in D3 for Aurum here. The way I see it, no matter what ending you get, Aurum's time as a villain is over. But it's a long road yet- One speech and a beating from a little girl and her dog isn't going to redeem over 200 years of manipulating and mind screwing everybody's favourite Honor Student, but he's taking the first step, I think.

Frankly, writing Sapphire was more difficult than Aurum- I had to think of a plausible reason for an action that was, essentially, a gag in a fake ending. Review and tell me what you thought!

Also, if you have trouble picturing Cinos from the description I gave… he's a male cleric, only wearing a white robe instead of being bare-chested. Is he hiding his true form? Maybe. Only time will tell!

Until then,

--Varanus


	4. Breakfast of Champions!

What's that coming over the hill? Is it an update? Is it an up-daaate?!

_disclaimer: NIS characters belong to NIS_

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**Fail to the King!**

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_Chapter 4 - Breakfast of Champions!_

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Sensing more than hearing activity around him, Almaz began to wake. Dozing in the twilight, his mind was clear of any certain thoughts beyond a hazy contemplation of the flickering patterns of light a lantern was casting into his room from the adjacent room. Someone had been in his room, silent so as to avoid waking him. Did someone steal something? Doubtful, he didn't have anything good lying around his room, he had grown craftier than that, at least. Now who could it be? He hadn't woken, so that ruled out Rasberyl, Kyoko or Asuka. The delinquents had always politely knocked on his door first when entering (Almaz realised idly that they never seemed to outright ask for permission to enter. Ah, well, points for effort he supposed), and if that hadn't woken him they would have to ask permission for, or advice about, something or other. Not Mr. Champloo either, there hadn't been an explosion of noise, energy or scent of fried onions.

Could it have been Mao, attempting a new experiment him? No, he would've woken up for sure if that was the case, and not in his bed at that (Actually, this wasn't even his regular bed, come to think of it, but it was warm and cosy so that was good enough for him at that moment). Mao's concept of evading detection was to make it so anyone they wanted to avoid being detected by was _incapable_ of detecting anything in the first place, usually by use of ludicrous force, applied directly to the forehead. Sapphire had been quite supportive of that method, actually. Not surprising really, she was fond of the old Rhodonite saying, 'first to strike, first to win'. The Princess believed in overwhelming force wherever applicable, necessities and compromise be dammed! He really admired that about her, her willingness to dedicate everything to her goals, her refusal to back down an inch from her dreams. It had to be what he liked most about her, after having spent so much time getting to know her during this short time in the netherworld. Hey, there's a thought, maybe it was Sapphire who visited him so late at night? Could she have hoped to-- Almaz instinctively denied that thought any more leeway. He couldn't think about the Princess like that! He was just a lowly guardsman and…

And then he remembered two things. One, he was the new Overlord of the Netherworld, essentially his own kingdom's greatest enemy. Sure, he wasn't going to plan any invasions anytime soon, but try telling his demon phobic countrymen that.

And two, it couldn't have been Sapphire, or Mao, or Rasberyl that visited him because they all left and were planning to kill him.

Well, that thought certainly put him on his best two feet today… On the other hand, he was warm and snug and reality on the other side of the blankets was a million miles away…

Unfortunately, before he could slip back to sleep, Almaz's ears picked up the sound of a scuffle outside the door. Almaz sighed, figuring it was probably a better idea to go see what the fuss was before it came to see him while he was in bed. Besides, he was hungry.

He rose and stretched, wincing at the cracking noise his joints made, eyeing his boots, favourite scarf and white longcoat nearby, he realised he had fallen asleep almost fully clothed. He racked his mind, trying to remember where he had been before he fell asleep. Almaz lightly rapped his forehead with his knuckles, remembering the throne room. Aria had probably dragged him here after the fight. She had no doubt been too distracted trying to secure the location to do anything other than dump him into bed, something Almaz felt a flutter of relief about. As much as he appreciated the kunoichi's help, he was tired of waking up to find someone had moved him into a different room somewhere on campus and stolen his pants while they did it, leaving him to wander Evil Academy, searching for a way back to his bed, in the dead of night, wearing only his underwear. Trying to avoid Orcs and Catsabers and _especially _Succubi, and that one time when a Baciel spotted him and--

Almaz quickly re-suppressed that memory upon hearing a muffled banging noise coming from somewhere outside the door. _'Oh well, time to see what the commotion is all about,'_ thought Almaz, opening the door. _'Hilarious pandemonium, probably.'_

He wasn't disappointed. Walking out onto a small balcony with stairs leading to the small hall below, he stared bewildered at the handful of familiar demons scurrying around franticly. Aria was in the centre of the activity, standing atop a table and swinging her spear in exaggerated sweeps like a fanatical orchestra conductor. The weirdest thing about the scene was the hushed silence, the dozen demons below rushing to and fro on their tiptoes in order to avoid making noise. Almaz realised Aria was directing them about in order to keep them working as quietly as possible.

"Uh… Morning everybody," said Almaz hesitantly, then fought a grin as the assembled demons froze in their tracks to look up at him. Their mouths hung open with surprise and, showing remarkable co-ordination, they slapped their faces with a collective exasperated groan. Almaz stifled a laugh as Aria massaged her temples wearily.

"Ah, you woke up, sorry about that," said Aria, leaping onto his low balcony. "I tried to keep them quiet so you could rest. It was the delinquents that woke you, wasn't it?" Almaz gave her a blank look, confused, and Aria shook her head. "Doesn't matter, it's of… ah, that is… no consequence. It's not important. How are you feeling, Lord Almaz?"

"Famished," replied Almaz, his attention quickly switching to the smell of roasted meat wafting to his nose.

Aria nodded, her mask hiding a grin. "Thought so. I'll get someone to bring something right away." She bowed respectfully to Almaz, then turned to the demons down below who had begun chatting in hushed tones amongst themselves.

"HEY! OVERLOD HERO ALMAZ IS HUNGRY!!" she bellowed, startling the demons and the Overlord in question alike. "I want food on that table five minutes ago! Get a move on!!"

The demons, however, did not get a move on, stunned by the sudden divergence from silence. A Galaxy Mage raised his hand.

"WHAT?!" yelled Aria, leering at the young demon, barely phrasing the word as a question.

"D-does he want soda to drink? Or coffee? Beer?" asked the mage hesitantly.

"Obliviously that's--" Aria paused, glancing inquisitively at Almaz.

"Juice would be fine," Almaz supplied. "From fruit," he clarified, just to be on the safe side.

"FRUIT JUICE, YOU IDIOT!" Aria roared at the diminutive demon. "Don't you people know _anything _about the Overlord Hero?!"

"B-but you just--" stuttered the protesting mage.

"GO!!" screamed Aria, sending the demons scurrying for the kitchen. Satisfied, she turned to the speechless Almaz and bowed again. "Please take a seat, Lord Almaz. Breakfast will be served shortly."

Almaz paused for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, thanks." Descending the stairs and making his way to the large table, a thought popped up into his head. "Aria? Who were those guys?" Taking a seat, he thought about the mage Aria yelled at. "Actually, I recognised a few of them, they were Mao's vassals, weren't they?"

Aria nodded, picking up a clipboard from the table. "Yep, they were. They're your vassals now though."

Almaz blinked, taking a moment to realise what she had said. "My vassals?"

Aria rolled her eyes, forgetting her earlier attempts at being respectful. "Well, duh, Lord Almaz. Overlords need vassals to order around. It's not just a title, you know?"

Almaz looked away, sheepish. "Yeah, I know… It's just surprising, that's all. I don't know what to expect for this job. I don't even know where to begin."

"No need to worry," replied Aria, motioning to her clipboard. "I've spent the time you were sleeping gathering intel on the job, and the first step is gathering loyal vassals to act as you right hand."

"Are they actually loyal though?" asked Almaz, frowning. "They probably distrust me. I mean, you said there were riots after the declaration…"

Aria waved her hand dismissively. "I already told you, demons just like a good chance to riot. No need to worry, the core group I've assembled are former members of Lord Mao's… ah… the word is… entourage. Mercenaries. They like you well enough. Only the most loyal and-or apathetic made the cut."

"Apathetic?" asked Alma quizzically.

"Yeah. There's those that want to support you because you defeated the Super Hero, those that oppose you because you're a human hero yourself and, of course, those that really don't give a damn either way. They're the clear outliners, so I tried to hire those."

Almaz nodded morosely, but then perked up at the sound of clattering dishes approaching the table. "Breakfast is served!" trilled a cleric, balancing multiple large plates piled with roasted meat, sizzling fried bacon and cockatrice eggs and warm pastries on her arms like a seasoned waitress. She placed the food in front of Almaz and sat down, grabbing a chunk of the juicy meat. Seeing the other demons—his loyal and apathetic vassals, he reminded himself—dropping off plates and reaching for food (as well as the one mage setting a pitcher of juice beside him), Almaz joined in on the feast with gusto.

Despite the delicious food, something was bugging him, a nagging problem at the back of his mind. Perhaps it was because he could feel the eyes of his new vassals giving him quick, subtle glances, perhaps it was because so much had changed since only a few days ago, perhaps it was because he was, for the first time, the centre of a rapt audience's attention. Perhaps it was because he had a job to do, one he was starting to realise he had to do. "Fill me in on what's been happening," said Almaz through bites of tender meat. "How long was I sleeping?"

"Only one night," responded Aria, her mask pulled down as she slathered a piece of bread with honey. "Isa healed you up pretty well."

"It was most enlightening, healing a person so close to death and deprived of nutrients as you were. I most appreciate it," said the cleric at his side, smiling sincerely. Almaz recognised her as Isabelle, one of Mao's vassals. Well, former vassal. "I can't wait until I get another chance. Perhaps you would like to starve yourself again, so I could perfect my technique?" She gazed at him expectantly.

"Uh… that's alright… I've got a lot on my plate right now. New Overlord and everything… thank you for helping me, though." Almaz replied hesitantly.

Isabelle continued to smile serenely as she tore some meat off a large bone. "Oh, you're welcome Almaz. Really, it's my pleasure to serve. You always have the most unusual and interesting injuries, it's a joy to try to heal them. When Aria spoke to me about the multitude of injuries you would no doubt receive as Overlord, I simply could not let the opportunity pass."

"Uh… thanks. And thank you, Aria, for that convincing argument while we're at it," Almaz added, giving a sideways look at the kunoichi, who had the grace to look sheepish.

"While you were sleeping I gathered around some of the old gang and recruited some new guys," the kunoichi said, smoothly changing the subject. "Then I sent them around to pick up info about what's happening in the Academy. Quite a picture, I can tell you that." She nodded to the vassal, signalling them to speak.

"Riots are quieting down around campus!" chimed a thief Almaz didn't know, licking some honey off her plate. "Except there's still a lot of fighting at the sophomore's classrooms, which is weird 'cause Mister Big Star seems to like you. I'm Dove, by the way!" She leaned across the table to give him an energetic wave. "Pleased to meetcha, Mister Overlord Hero!" She sprang back to her seat before Almaz could react, dumping the pastries and meat she had stolen from her neighbouring into a large pile on her plate. "Might be a good idea to join in and show the rioters who's boss," she said while taking a bite out of a croissant, ignoring the annoyed grumbles of the demons around her.

"Duly noted, I guess. What else?" asked Almaz. The brawler beside Dove saluted sharply.

"Sir Almaz, sir! Permission to report requested!" he announced like a soldier. Almaz nodded, recognising him as Griff, another of his old comrades from Mao's band of merry, murderous men. Griff never had been very normal after volunteering for Mao's 'perfect soldier' brainwashing experiments. Then again, Griff hadn't seemed normal in the first place—he had _volunteered,_ after all…

"Sir, the council is raising an uproar. They're trying to gain more power at your expense. There's talk they are going to annul your title!" the brawler said in clipped speech.

Almaz frowned. "Wait, Overlord succession doesn't work like that."

"Sir, no sir!" Griff replied sharply. "But they're hoping you don't know that."

"They're not really giving me much credit, huh?" sighed Almaz. Griff cracked a grin, and Dove took the opportunity to steal his danish.

"Looks like it, sir!" replied the brawler. "They pose no threat to you, your title or your power, but I recommend a tactical asskicking, out of principles, sir!"

"So… business as usual then," said Almaz, rolling his eyes wearily. His vassals chuckled, the newer ones finding themselves relieved at the Hero's casual attitude, the older ones realising the ex-fake hero actually had a sense of humour.

"Uh… um… my name's Cieg… t-there's been problems with some of the dimension gates…" stammered the galaxy mage from before. Almaz frowned, worried by this, and the mage hastily added, "I'm going to talk to my old master about it, so don't worry! Besides, problems have stabilised a bit and it's only one pathway that's been totally closed off."

Aria nodded, somewhat grim. "Yes, that's exactly the problem. The path to the human world has been closed."

"No fair, I wanted to tell him that!" complained Cieg, then snapped his mouth shut, seeing the troubled look on Almaz's face. The mage glanced at Aria, who made a 'zip it!' motion on her mouth.

"If you're worried about Sapphire and the others, I sent a reliable ninja to dig up intel on how they're doing," said Aria, feigning a casual attitude. She glanced to the side and blinked, noticing something. "Oh, here he is now." Almaz turned to see him, then let his mouth hang agape with shock, dropping his buttered croissant.

The ninja landed softly behind the Overlord Hero and bowed. Almaz, however, was too stunned by the ninja in question to say anything, considering who it was. The dark grey hair, shrouding his piercing, almost glowing eyes, certainly was distinctive about the stealthy newcomer, but if Almaz had to choose one thing about him that stood out the most, it would be the fact that the ninja was on fire.

"Gorrillian the Diez Gentleman?" exclaimed Almaz, finding his voice. "But you were so determined to fight us! I can't believe this! Why am I the only one not believing this?" He turned to his vassals, who were just munching on breakfast, unimpressed by the burning ninja who patiently waited for Almaz to finish. Except Isabelle, who was seemingly entranced by the black flames gnawing at Gorrillian.

"I encountered him while bringing you out of the throne room," Aria explained reassuringly. "He insisted on helping you, since you defeated the Super Hero and spared his life."

"It is the ninja way," said Gorrillian solemnly. Almaz glanced questioningly at Aria, who shrugged.

"If it's the same to you, could you avoid putting out your flames?" asked Isabelle sweetly. "It's been a while since I've had good burns to heal…"

"Hot and cold are as one to my Effort jutsu. That is, nothing." replied the stoic ninja cryptically. He turned to a bewildered Almaz again to report. "Through various means I learned that Mao has confined himself to his research, pausing only to subdue a riot that was annoying him. Master Champloo has disappeared, beyond even my ability to track. For now." Gorrillian added after a moment of consideration.

"What about Sapphire? I'd like to see her as soon as possible." said Almaz. Gorrillan paused, glancing over at Aria, an unreadable look on his face. If one could see past his hair and mask, of course.

"The human princess, correct? She has also disappeared." He leaned over to Almaz, lowering his voice. "I learned through various means that she had followed someone through a dimension gate near the castle. Soon after, the Human World was sealed to us by a powerful force." He glanced at the vassals who were pretending, very convincingly, not to be interested about the conversation. "Sir Almaz, I believe she was following 'Geoffrey'."

The few demons that had travelled with Mao and knew of Geoffrey's identity drew sharp breaths, confusing the newer vassals. Isabelle exchanged a look with Griff, who in turn lost a cinnamon roll to Dove.

"Don't worry Lord Almaz, we'll—" began Aria, only to be cut off by the hero. "It's fine," he said quietly, surprising the kunoichi. She opened her mouth to protest, but he waved her into silence. "It's okay, really. That means she's safe back home. It's probably the best case scenario for now, I think." Aria wasn't fooled by his words, but kept silent.

"What about Rasberyl, Kyoko and Asuka?" Almaz asked Gorrillian.

"I learned through various means that they have been occupied for the past few hours in trying to infiltrate this room by force, in an assassination attempt," replied the ninja simply. There was a huge crashing noise as the double doors to the hall exploded off their hinges and flew halfway to the table, splintering as they fell, leaving plumes of smoke and dust in their wake.

"My Lord," said Gorrillian as the smoke in the entranceway cleared, revealing three familiar silhouettes, "I have learned through various means that Rasberyl has successfully infiltrated the room."

"Thank you for that," said Aria sarcastically as she reached for her spear, turning to face the invading delinquents. Almaz saw his vassals begin to rise, preparing themselves for a fierce brawl. He saw Rasberyl striding confidently towards him, the red haired demon flanked by her two handmaidens, ready to attack. Almaz's mind suddenly clicked in a moment of crystal clarity as he realised the only true course of action available to him.

"Good morning!" he called out cheerfully, "It's nice of you to drop by. Care for some breakfast? Please join us, it would be my pleasure!"

Kyoko and Asuka visibly stumbled, unprepared for Almaz's tactical politeness. Rasberyl came to a halt, grinning at the move. Fighting fire with fire? The diminutive demon was impressed by Almaz's nerve, but two could play at that game.

"Oh, no, the pleasure's all ours!" she replied, giving her handmaidens a chance to recover. "It is quite kind of you to offer," said Asuka, smiling politely, having found renewed confidence at Rasberyl's strength. "Indeed, thank you very much," finished Kyoko, bowing slightly. The Overlord Hero's vassals shuddered at the terrifying triple assault of delinquent manners, but Almaz just smiled, relieved to have stalled the battle. Now came the tricky part.

"So, what brings you here? It's been a while really. You should have come sooner, we're friends, aren't we?" Almaz said casually. Aria whirled around to face him, an exasperated and perplexed look on her face that clearly read _'what the hell are you doing?!'_

"Indeed, Sir Almaz, we are friends," said Kyoko, shifting into a light stance, "Which is why we alone must defeat you."

"We simply cannot allow your noble soul to descend into corruption. Such a tragedy would break our hearts to see," added Asuka, dabbing the corner of her eye with a tissue folded into the shape of a crane.

"We've already wasted too much time as it is!" said Rasberyl, her tome appearing in a puff of smoke. "You're already on the road to becoming an honour student, we can't put it off any longer!"

"B-but I haven't even done anything yet!" protested Almaz. Around him his vassals began to shift into position, ready to jump into battle.

Rasberyl smirked humourlessly. "_Exactly._ It's been almost a week since you became Overlord and you haven't even lifted a finger. Apathy towards your responsibilities is one of the hallmarks of an honour student! If we keep wasting time there'll be no turning back!" Her grimore flipped open, energy crackling from it's pages. Rasberyl raised her arms, ready to attack. "As your friends, Almaz, we will save you from your terrible fate the only way we can!"

Aria tensed, ready to jump between the Overlord Hero and the delinquents as the tension in the room began reaching breaking point. Almaz's vassals prepared to leap to his defence at his sign. _'So be it, let's fight!'_ or _'Quick, somebody help me!'_ were what the vassals (new and old, respectively) expected Almaz to say, so they were just as surprised as the delinquents when the Overlord Hero's voice cut through the tension like a knife.

"Isn't it kind of _impolite_ to attack someone who's giving you breakfast?" Almaz smiled pleasantly, his eyebrows rising in honest surprise. "It's not like a delinquent at all. It seems like something Mao would do, to be honest." Rasberyl froze in shock and eyes widened as she realised the trap she had fallen into. Kyoko and Asuka choked quietly, giving flustered glances between each other, and Aria stared at Almaz in amazement along with the other slyly grinning vassals. Using a delinquent's nature against themselves so easily? It was as impressive as it was inconceivable to the chaotic demons, and for it to come from Almaz, of all people…

"Hmp. Not bad, Almaz," said the Rasberyl, an impressed grin on her face. Snapping her book shut, she waved down the handmaidens. "It would be rude to let this food go to waste. Besides, you can't fight on an empty stomach, after all." Her handmaidens bowed, conceding their loss.

Almaz blinked, laughing nervously. "Seriously, it worked? I-I mean, take a seat! Haha…" Aria glanced incredulously at Almaz and Gorrillian coughed politely. "My lord, I have more to report. I have learned through various means that the riots at the sophomore classrooms—"

"I already told him they were still going!" called Dove from across the table, sitting back down with her arms full of everyone else's pastries.

"What 'various means' did you use this time?" asked Almaz, somewhat sceptical.

"Wait, aren't you one of the Diez Gentlemen?!" exclaimed Rasberyl, noticing the (now only smouldering) ninja for the first time.

"I am aware you did, secret means, and indeed I am," Gorrillian replied to all three unwearyingly. "I serve Lord Almaz now, and I bear important information." He inclined his head, stressing the last part of his sentence before turning back to the new Overlord. "I have learned through various, _secret_ means that the sophomore classes riots were, in fact, the fist to quell, but during the chaos of the past week few others outside of them realised the shift in circumstances of the fighting." His eyes seemed to brighten ominously, betraying some emotion from the otherwise stoic ninja.

"My Lord, the battle raging at the sophomore classrooms is not a riot. It is an invasion. The Netherworld is under attack."

"How is that possible? Why is this happening?" asked Almaz, shocked. Behind him, his vassals exploded into worried chatter. Aria leaned towards Almaz. "Evil Academy has always been open to other worlds. Invasion has always been a possibility for the school." Gorrillian nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, but no-one's ever tried it before, not since the school was founded, at least…" said Rasberyl, biting her thumbnail in thought. "The Academy has always been neutral ground. It's beneficial to all demons, plus, we have a reputation for being tough."

"But now there's a new Overlord, who's a human, so all bets are off," said Almaz, a shadowed look on his face. He glanced at Rasberyl and Aria. "That's probably it, huh?"

"It's not your fault, Sir Almaz," said Asuka reassuringly from behind him. Kyoko nodded in agreement, adding "Indeed, news couldn't possibly have travelled so fast. Don't blame yourself."

A chorus of agreement rose from the table, causing Almaz to turn to his vassals. Their previous animosity towards the delinquents was gone, instead they were slinging their weapons and armour on, grinning excitedly at the Overlord Hero.

"No point standing around while those jerks are making a fuss! We gonna show them who's boss?" asked Dove playfully, grinning like a child.

"Should I bring my good staff, or my _really_ good staff…?" pondered Cieg aloud, weighting two staves in his hands.

"Sir! Requesting permission to commence some invader asskicking out of principles, sir!" said Griff, saluting. Almaz smiled slightly, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"Ahaha, thanks, everyone. So I can expect you guys to follow me?" he asked his boisterous vassals. "You guys really don't care that I'm a human hero? That I'm not an honour student role model? That it should be somebody like Mao here, instead of me?"

"I'm just here for the food!" called Dove, waving a buttered croissant in the air.

The demons laughed and Aria patted Almaz on the shoulder. "Like I said, I chose only the best," she said reassuringly.

Almaz grinned. "Well, that's good, because it looks like we've got a Netherworld to save!" the Overlord Hero declared, spreading his arms. "Pack your stuff, guys, I guess we're going to war!" His vassals gave a whooping cheer and scurried off to prepare.

"Nice speech there," said Rasberyl, watching Almaz with a grin on her face and an unreadable look in her eye. "But where does this leave our battle? We delinquent badasses can't just waltz into the fight and help out the Overlord, even if he is a hero."

"Actually, I have a bit of an offer for you…" said Almaz, glancing between the diminutive red head and her two handmaidens at her side. He paused, unsure how well his idea would work. In all likelihood it would fail miserably and blow up in his face. _'Oh, to hell with it,'_ Almaz thought, ignoring his own pessimism. He asked anyway.

"How would you like to do some volunteer work?"

* * *

A glowing vortex spontaneously appeared on a war torn hill in sophomore territory and from it stepped a heretic, garbed in a filthy white robe. Cinos cast his eyes onto the scenery, breathing in the beautiful scent in the wind that all demons, no, all beings relished in their cores.

The smell of battle, and death. Cinos relished the smell. To him, it was synonymous with victory.

He watched from above as columns of feral demons swarmed the forts and barricades of the sophomores, tearing down walls and being cut down en masse by the defenders. Cinos wasn't worried about these losses, they were just mindless cannon fodder after all. All he was concerned about was reaching the source of the invasion.

"Well, well, well, fancy meeting you so soon…" a familiar voice said to his side. Cinos gave a casual glance in the direction of the voice. A flame haired young woman approached him, carrying a red handled spear on her shoulder. She wore armoured gauntlets and greaves that covered her entire limbs, strapped firmly in place by a myriad of belts. In contrast to her devotion to protecting her arms and legs, she wore no armor on her chest, just an open, sleeveless blouse and another thick belt over it in the Valkyrie style, guarding her modesty. She stopped a few feet from him, placing her hand on her hip. "It's been a while. Impressed at my little invasion?" she asked teasingly.

Cinos frowned slightly. "They're nothing but feral monsters. Surely you could have mustered up something a bit more organised."

The crimson Valkyrie scowled, flicking her crimson, shoulder-length hair out of her eyes to glare at him. "You're kidding, right? Summon up an unending army of coherent soldiers in less than a week? God, you're an ass, you know that?" Cinos stared at her impassively as she stabbed her spear into the ground and leaned on it wearily. "Besides," she continued, unsurprised at Cinos' silence, "The only help I could find in so little time was from Sienna, and it was just our good luck and this Netherworld's bad luck that he was wandering by. Still…" She glanced appreciatively at the raging battles below them, eyes twinkling. "…You just have to admire chaos like this. It's the little things like this that makes life worth it, don't you think?"

"Who is Sienna?" asked Cinos, ignoring the Valkyrie's question. "Rather, which one is Sienna?" he clarified.

The woman looked up at him. "Right. You've forgotten the little nicknames I came up with. You know. The crazyass-basketcase-nutjob," she said, twirling her finger around her temple. She grinned impishly. "By the way, in case you forgot, my nickname is—"

"Phoenix, I hadn't forgotten your name," said Cinos, finding himself irritated at the flame haired Valkyrie.

Phoenix's face twisted into one of mock surprise and glee. "Oh! You remembered me!" she said, putting her hand to her cheek. "I'm so touched! It's so unlike you, now my heart is beating so fast!"

"Shut up." Cinos said flatly, refusing to let Phoenix's antics bother him. "Is Sienna the only other of our members to gather?"

"Ayup," Phoenix nodded casually, "But I figured out where old Etem disappeared to a few years ago, at least." She indicated to the war behind her. "That's why I invaded with feral demons. It's not an assault, it's a distraction for you to open a cross-dimensional gate."

Cinos nodded, understanding her logic. Cross-dimensional gates like the one he had sealed connecting Evil Academy to the human world were, as opposed to regular dimensional gates, more difficult and time consuming for even a master like him to manipulate. Usually, if a demon wanted one created, they would have to consult (that is, bribe) the Dark Assembly and pay a hefty tribute of mana. However, he could open one alone without much difficulty, but the shifting of magical energies would not likely go undetected by the faculty of the school. Thus, only two options were available. Discretion or pandemonium. It was clear which of the two Phoenix and Sienna favoured.

It wasn't what he would have done, but he didn't care. It's not like he was the leader anyway. They were merely associates, only driven together by similar circumstances and objectives. "So then Etem has decided that searching for a fight is more urgent than the pact? Whatever. Where has he gone, then?"

Phoenix grinned darkly. "A backwater little world to try his hand against a god," she said playfully, no trace of sympathy in her voice.

"Then we simply need to guide that hand," said Cinos, looking out onto the raging battlefield. He say one of the small forts be overwhelmed and crushed under the sheer mass of demons pressing down on it. "I suppose it's that backwater world's turn to have a taste of this chaos." Phoenix chuckled softly in agreement.

* * *

_Chapter 4 -end-_

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Varanotes: Wow, sorry for the late update, stuff happened. It's been a seriously crappy weekend, so review and help me feel better!

Seriously though, if you enjoyed the chapter, review. I want your opinions, what your favorite bits in the chapter were, all that jazz.

If you don't like OCs, don't freak out at the number of them introduced in this chapter. Aside from the antagonists, I can count on one hand the number of OCs in the fic that have any real impact on the story, Aria included. Contrast that to the canon characters who... well, that would be telling...

Anyways, I've got some annoying news! I'm approaching the end of my semester with frightening speed, so I'm going to focus on finishing my portfolio and studying for exams for the next few weeks. Unfortunatly that means I won't be able to update until after the 14th of May, so you guys are going to have to hold the fort until then!

Stay tuned, because when I come back it's Almaz vs. the invasion and that's where things are _really_ going to get crazy. I'm looking forward to it!

Until then, take care!

--Varanus


	5. Seige Diem, Part 1

Sorry for the wait guys, let's get this show on the road, shall we? One quick word though, thanks to Uber Prinny Lord for offering to be my beta and, of course, thanks to all my kind reviewers so far.

Alright, let's go!

_disclaimer: N1 characters are N1's characters_

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* * *

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**Fail to the King!**

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* * *

Chapter 5 - Seige Diem, Part 1_

* * *

Master Big Star frowned slightly as he sipped his tea. Truly, he was faced with difficult circumstances. For one, his cup was inferior quality china. Not that he was a snob or anything, but he quite preferred to drink from his own personal set, as his wafer-thin, rose-patterned teacups helped heighten the sensation of elegance and sophistication one felt when one enjoys their evening Earl Grey. The thin edges of his set were so much more graceful than the thick, clumsy rims on the mugs they had at this outer fort, but he supposed he'd have to make due considering this dire situation he and his fellow sophomores found themselves in. Speaking of which…

"Sir, we're being overwhelmed!" a ninja yelled as he burst into Big Star's tent. He caught himself and stood straight, regaining composure. "Forgive me for interrupting your rest, but the perimeter has almost been breached," he reported in a calm voice. Big Star smiled, standing up and leaving his inadequate teacup on the sidetable.

"Well, I suppose it is rather time I returned to the fray," he said casually, gliding past the ninja and stepping out onto the battlefield.

His grand fortress was swamped with his friends running to the walls to reach better fighting positions and reinforce chokepoints. The tall walls surrounding the inner layer of the fort were topped with ninjas armed with bows and guns who were quickly raining fire on the cloud of demons that had broken into the second, outer layer of the fortress complex. He strode quickly through the inner gate, heading directly towards the breach in the main gate, ignoring the feral small fry that ran past him. He trusted his friends rallying behind him to cut them down. Big Star was only interested in the demons swarming from the broken main east gate in the outer wall where his beloved vassals were valiantly struggling against the tide of demons pouring onto them. Zombies, mothmen, orcs, slimes, marionettes and even a few wood golems could be seen in the chaotic mess of the attack. The graceful sophomore scowled. This rabble had no elegance, no beauty and therefore no reason to remain before him.

"So, you wish to pluck the desert rose that is my fortress?" asked Master Big Star strikingly. He focused his mana enhanced energies around him as a rose appeared in his hand. He inhaled the perfect scent deeply and channelled his energy, not just around himself but into the crowd of foes, instantly saturating the air with pulsating, ozone power under his control. It was like breathing to him, it was so simple. The elegant demon laughed lightly, glancing at the roiling army now trapped within his influence. "Well, then you shall learn an important lesson today about roses. A lesson you won't soon forget."

Reality _shifted,_ the battlefield dissolving like a dry sandcastle in a gale of wind, leaving Big Star and the enemy rabble alone on a forlorn plateau. Before the demons could react, however, Big Star glided past them, rose petals dancing in his wake. Without warning, vines thick as a baciel's leg sprung from the ground and enveloped the demons, binding each one down firmly, rooting them, if you will, into place.

"The most elegant and essential thing about roses…" Master Big Star said to the struggling, growling demons, "…Is their dual nature. It's like that old song goes: 'Every rose has it's thorns'." Buds began to sprout and bloom into full, snow white roses on the vines in seconds, releasing a sweet scent into the air. The vines continued to grow and spread, crushing the demons in their grip. "Do you realise what this means for you?" The sophomore turned his back on the feral demons and the vines paused in their movement.

"It means you're already dead."

Sabre-like thorns burst from the vines, skewering the trapped demons and slicing them to pieces as the black vines rapidly churned like so many vicious buzz saws. The demons were completely slaughtered in the first second. Master Big Star felt a surge of mana flow into him, strengthening his mind and body almost imperceptibly, causing the sophomore leader to deign a glance back onto his rose garden, filled with now bright crimson roses.

"Such a pity to waste a line like that against feral beasts," he muttered softly as the rose garden plateau faded, returning him to the gate of his fortress battlefield, the furious fighting of a moment past replaced with the haunting scent of roses. The soldiers gave a confused cheer at the sudden disappearance of enemies, grateful for the slight breather in the battle. "It's not over yet!" Big Star called, as a stream of new feral demons swarmed forward to rush them.

Without warning, there was a cry of an eagle and a fiery bird dived into the feral army, exploding into a pillar of flames that devoured a huge chunk of the demons. Then, the left wing of the attackers was swept up in a fierce tornado that glowed green, tell-tale sign of a magical vortex. At the same time another tornado that burned a fiery orange swept though the enemy ranks to the right, tossing and pulverising any demons unfortunate enough to be caught by the attack. The shockwaves from the three attacks shook the earth and sent the feral attackers into disarray.

"What was that? I-is that one of ours?" asked a warrior, his mouth agape from the power of the attacks. In the distance, Big Star spotted something bright on the horizon, fast approaching the fort. It looked like… glowing wings? Big Star grinned victoriously.

"I believe it is salvation," he said, as the glowing wings brushed down lightly on the remaining demons clamouring together fury. Explosions erupted in the wake of the winged slayer, shattering the enemies caught in the fiery storm. Rather than pull up from the attack, however, the winged figure, clearly visible as a humanoid now, continued his path towards the fort, curving slightly to catch as many invaders as possible in his trailing column of explosions.

The wings blinked from existence as the figure flew towards Master Big Star and the assembled soldiers, propelled by his own momentum. Digging his heels into the ground, he slipped several meters before stopping before the assembled defenders. He looked up, adjusted his trademark red scarf and gave a surprised grin, seeing Big Star right in front of him.

"Uh, hey!" Overlord Hero Almaz said, glancing back to the destruction he caused. "We, uh, we're not too late, are we?"

"Just in the nick of time, as expected of a Hero," Master Big Star replied, sparkles modestly dancing around him. "Much appreciated. I'd offer you tea, but—"

"I understand, we're short on time as it is." said Almaz.

"Sure, why not," replied Big Star without missing a beat.

The Overlord Hero's vassals approached from the battlefield they had devastated, some splitting off to join Big Star's soldiers in mopping up the devastated enemies. Aria stepped into her position behind Almaz's left side, followed by the demons that seemed to form his 'inner circle'.

"Sir! Permission to say 'boyah'!, sir!" saluted Griff.

"Uh, yeah, knock yourself out," said Almaz hesitantly. Glancing at the fighting still raging in the distance, he continued. "While you're at it, get a group together and do a sweep of the area. Dove, go with him. Try not to steal anything belonging to our side."

"I make no promises!" giggled Dove, mirroring Griff salute with the gun in her hand before running back to the battlefield. Almaz then turned to blond cleric and the magician.

"Isa, heal any—oh, she's gone. Eh, should have guessed. Cieg, go gather any other mages that are experienced with dimension gates, if you could. We're going to need a way to close them at will if we want to cut off the invasion." The young mage nodded and scampered off, causing Big Star to crack a grin.

"Settling into your role as a leader quite well. Commendable." he said to the Overlord Hero. "Besides that, I'm impressed how quickly you deduced the dimension gates were the root of our woes." Almaz shrugged, embarrassed by the praise.

"Well, we got news that there were problems with dimension gates over the past week," he explained, "and when we found out that Evil Academy was under serious attack, we just put two and two together."

Master Big Star flourished his rose, displaying his best sparkle. "Do not make light of your achievements, Sir Hero. Now come with me," he said turning away and walking briskly into the fort. Almaz and Aria caught up to him, jogging slightly in comparison to Big Star's long stride.

"Where are we headed?" asked the kunoichi.

"To the command room," the elegant sophomore answered. "We have much to discuss."

* * *

"Does this really count as volunteer work, my lady?"

Rasberyl gave a quick laugh as she sauntered down the halls of Evil Academy, Kyoko and Asuka trailing dutifully behind her.

"What about it isn't?" the red head replied. "With what we do today, we get to help those in need as well as punish those who force chaos and violence onto the innocent. The way I see it, we're practically getting a hero's internship with this gig!"

"But if that were the case, should we not be on the front lines?" asked Kyoko, concerned. Asuka, nodded, fidgeting. "Although I'm sure Almaz's idea held noble intent, it grates to know we are merely carrying out errands while others fight to protect our home." she said anxiously.

"Kyoko, Asuka, don't worry!" said Rasberyl breezily as they climbed a staircase. "Anybody can fight in a war! Almaz has plenty of tough vassals, you saw them, but what he really needs now is someone he can trust with logistics, to help him run things behind the scene!"

"But what if the invasion has been underestimated? Should be there to give them backup!" insisted Asuka. Rasberyl stopped walking and turned to face her, a devious smile on her face.

"Oh, we're providing backup alright! It just won't be us doing the fighting!" the red-headed demon declared, bringing her hand up and slamming it against the door she was standing beside. "MAO!"

* * *

In the softly lit command room, Almaz and Aria sat dutifully around the large oak table as Master Big Star concluded his summary of the situation.

"Hmmm… yeah, I can see how that would be a problem…" muttered Almaz after Big Star's lengthy explanations of his dilemma. Aria nodded slightly in agreement.

"I am so glad to find you agree," replied Big Star, his sparkles bobbing in appreciation.

"I have one question, though," said Aria. Big Star nodded to acknowledge the question.

"If a war is being raged outside the fort, why are we talking about teacups?" she asked in a flat tone.

"Yeah, I was kinda confused about that too," said Almaz, scratching the back of his head, "but I guess I just expected a convoluted metaphor about battle would be revealed in the end."

"There is an excellent reason for this discourse, I assure you," said the sophomore leader smoothly. There was a slight, awkward pause, but before one of them could break the silence another demon, wearing a samurai-style coat and a dull yellow bandanna around his neck entered the room. He glanced at the guests with slightly narrowed eyes before speaking to Big Star.

"Sir, I've come to deliver my report," said the samurai. Big Star beamed at him.

"Jericho, my friend. Just the man I was waiting for," he said without missing a beat. He turned to Almaz and Aria. "This is my most experienced fighter, Jericho, who I sent on a reconnaissance mission not long ago."

"Nice to meet you," said Almaz, extending his hand. Jericho ignored it, bowing stiffly instead. "It's an honour for a demon to meet the Overlord," he said curtly, "However; I have important information to divulge."

Jericho straightened up and began to report. "It seems the majority of the demons are being pulled through dimension gates scattered throughout the grounds. There's a degree of strategy to it, mostly the gates are clustered near forts to maximise damage, but overall it seems haphazard and random. The demons are very strong but uncoordinated. The only thing preventing us from repelling them is their overwhelming numbers. If not for that, the invasion would be no threat."

"What about the demons themselves? Do they have anyone guiding them?" asked Almaz.

Jericho frowned slightly. "It doesn't look like that, Sir Overlord. The forces are, as you know, mostly feral demons, newly spawned and incapable of coherent thought. Only a few seem to have any instincts beyond destruction, so it's likely those few are guiding the attacks towards the forts, but there's no way they would be capable of pulling off an assault at this level."

"Someone is pulling the strings from behind. Probably the same guy who is creating the gates," said Aria darkly. Jericho nodded in agreement.

"Do you know anything about the gates, then? How are they able to summon so many demons?" asked Big Star, frowning in thought. Jericho shrugged.

"To be honest, I have no idea," he said, his stoic demeanour slipping. "There aren't summoning sigils on the gates, they're just normal dimension gates. Purely transport. I tried sensing where the gates lead to, but I only got white noise, so I just shut them instead."

"You shut down the gates, and can sense where the gateway leads to as well? That's pretty impressive," said Almaz, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

Jericho snorted dismissively, but couldn't quite keep the tint of pride from his voice. "It's nothing. I spent a few centuries as a magician, then a druid so I could understand and master mana manipulation better, that's all. No useless knowledge, after all. But anyway," his voice became serious, "The white noise I received either means there was someone trying to block the gates- unlikely, looking at the sheer number of them- or that the gates lead to some sort of mana dense dimension that's spontaneously creating the demons."

"Is that possible?" Almaz asked, confused.

"It's like the Class World," explained Aria, "The excess mana you burn in summoning that pocket dimension also gets used in the spawning of the feral demons there."

"Yeah, but in the Class World the demons stay put," replied Almaz, massaging his temples. "Plus, there's only ever one portal at a time!"

"Exactly, only one." interjected Master Big Star. "Jericho, would I be correct in saying your report indicates at least several beings of great strength and skill with dimension gates is the perpetrator behind this invasion? Beings that have an ulterior motive?"

"That's correct," said Jericho, getting Almaz and Aria's attention again. "Only someone with a crazy amount of mana could summon so many gates. I don't doubt that they could be anything less than Demon Lord level, maybe even Over…" He trailed off, brows furrowing in confusion. "I… I think another gate is being opened…"

"Lord Almaz!" shouted a voice from outside the command room. A panicked Cieg and several anxious spellcasters around him rushed into the room. "Lord Almaz, a bunch of the gates are forming around the fort!"

"Aha, looks like I still got it…" muttered Jericho so quietly only Aria noticed it.

"Put down their location, immediately!" ordered Master Big Star, his hand slamming down on the map on the table. The magicians quickly discussed calculations while Cieg explained what had occurred.

"There were at least four disturbances. They were kind of subtle, so we only really caught them because we were looking for them." Cieg quickly said, glancing at the map that had red marks surrounding the fort's boundaries. "There's four of them, two in the east and two in the west."

"The one I sensed was at west too…" added Jericho.

"The gates at the east are close together but the gates to the west are staggered, one being further than the other," said a druid, stroking his beard. "Plus, the furthest west gate is still being formed, but it's a strong one."

"So our main threat is to the east, where our broken gate faces," said Big Star, frowning nobly. He thought for a moment, then stood to face Almaz. "Overlord Hero Almaz, I must request your aid in this battle."

"Of course, I was going to help anyway," said Almaz, smiling at the sophomore leader.

Big Star returned a sparkling smile then turned to Jericho. "You said the gate you sensed was in the west?" Seeing his vassal nod, he looked back to Almaz. "Lord Almaz, it is my duty to stand and fight with my friends in this fort. We shall hold off the eastern invasion. I need you and your vassals to neutralise the western gates in order to prevent us from being pinned down."

Almaz nodded. "Alright… I mean, good plan, we'll go with it this time," he said after Aria jabbed him with her elbow in a manner that clearly meant _'Act like an Overlord, idiot!'_

"Magnificent," said Master Big Star, smelling his rose, "May I also ask you to bring Jericho with you?"

"Why?" asked Almaz and Jericho at the same time, Jericho's voice sounding strained, as if he was biting back some other, _choicer_ words to say.

"It was the west gate you detected, Jericho," Big Star replied. "You will serve as the Overlord's guide and my representative. I have faith in your intuition, so I want you to go with the Overlord and fight in my place." Seeing Jericho's quick nod, he beamed a smile to the rest of the room. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, shall we commence the battle?"

* * *

THUDTHUDTHUD!

"I'm serious Mao!" screeched Rasberyl after half an hour of fruitless banging on Mao's door. "Stop ignoring us and open this door, or we'll be forced to assume you've locked yourself in, began searching for the key but suddenly fainted from anemia! And we both know where that road leads, don't we?"

Silence gave the demon her reply.

"Alright, I warned you!" yelled Rasberyl, summoning her grimoire. Kyoko and Asuka dived for cover behind the banisters as Rasberyl swiped her finger over the pages, crackling pink energy bursting into life around her, orbs of the destructive mana latching themselves onto Mao's great double doors.

"Delinquent rule one! Morality!" shouted Rasberyl. With a deafening boom, the mana ignited into a fiery explosion, blasting the doors off their frame and reducing them to kindling and toothpicks.

"Alright Mao, playtime's over!" said Rasberyl, storming through the smoke and dust filling the room, followed by Kyoko and Asuka. "There's about a billion problems and you… huh?" Her tirade faded as she looked around the room, confused.

Mao was nowhere to be seen.

"Haha, very funny Mao. You got me for a second there," said Rasberyl, grinning nervously. However, Mao did not suddenly re-appear.

"I don't detect him here," said Kyoko, scanning the room carefully.

"What will we do, my lady?" asked Asuka, obviously worried.

Rasberyl bit her thumbnail in thought. If they couldn't find Mao, and find him soon…

"Craaaap…" she groaned, rushing out of the room.

* * *

Almaz and his company sped was quickly as possible through a valley in a rocky part of the sophomore wastelands, heading straight for the setting sun. Compared to the army they had left behind, the two dozen figures rushing to intercept the western gates seemed pitifully small. Almaz tried not to let it bother him, after all, he trusted their strength, and besides, they only needed to worry about the summoners. The possible Overlord level summoners…

"First gate up ahead," said Aria, breathing in sharply. "Wow, that's a lot of ferals."

Sure enough, in the distance Almaz could see an altogether far too familiar sea of demons pouring from a glowing pool of light. Slowing down slightly, he glanced at the surrounding environment, quickly making a strategy.

"How close do you have to be to close the gate?" he asked Jericho.

"Pretty close," came the reply. "I'd say one of your mages could do it from a bit of a distance though."

"Cieg, think you could shut it down from the top of that outcrop?" Almaz asked his short vassal, pointing to a rocky cliff that overlooked the battlefield. Cieg nodded hesitantly, glancing between it and the mass of demons below. Noticing his distress, Almaz smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, you'll have back up." He turned to the rest of the group.

"We're going to spread out into three groups," he said, looking between his vassals and Jericho. "The first and second group will spread out and tackle the ferals on two fronts in a pincer movement, okay? Use magic and long distance specials to thin them out and, hopefully, cause some confusion. With any luck, they'll start attacking each other and do most of the damage for us. The third team will be smaller, containing myself, Aria and Cieg. Actually, Griff too. We'll cut through the edge of the demons, shut down the portal and take them from behind before they can react. Stop laughing, this is serious," he added to his sniggering group.

"What about the second portal? We can't just leave it while we deal with this one," protested Jericho.

"Ah, you're right…" said Almaz, frowning in thought.

"Look, if I go alone I can reach the second portal faster than a group could go," said Jericho, his voice carrying a note of impatience.

"I'll go with him, Lord Almaz," said Aria, stepping forward.

"Think you can keep up?" asked Jericho, cracking an annoyed grin. "I didn't spend a century as a ninja just for the neckerchief, you know." Aria ignored him.

"Okay, the two of you head off straight away, the rest of us will catch up as soon as we can," said Almaz. The kunoichi and the samurai nodded and immediately disappeared, reappearing in the distance as Almaz's eyes adjusted to track their accelerated speed.

"Okay, are we ready?" asked Almaz, looking back at his vassals. There was an outburst of eager cheers. "Alrighty then, let's raise some hell," Almaz said, grinning along with the rest of his vassals. _'Looks like I'm getting the hang of this Overlord thing. Just hope it doesn't kill me first…'_

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Aria and Jericho ran at full sprint, crossing ground even faster than before. Aria kept her eyes on the surroundings, surveying the sea of demons that were emerging from the gateway. Judging from the size and speed of the 'current' of monsters flowing from the portal, she figured Almaz wouldn't have much trouble so long as he closed the gate as soon as he could.

"Looks like they'll mop it up quick," Jericho said casually beside her, mirroring the kunoichi's thoughts. Aria just silently nodded, speeding up. Jericho was silent for a moment as they ran, then spoke up again.

"How long have you been a kunoichi?" he asked.

"What makes you think I was ever something else?" she countered.

"You use a spear," he replied, shrugging as best he could considering he was running full sprint. "Not many kunoichi use spears and, judging from that Divine Storm attack you used back at the fort, you're experienced with them. I figured it was more likely you reincarnated, like me."

"I was a Valkyrie at first, and then after I became one of Lord Mao's vassals I became a kunoichi," Aria replied.

"So how long has that been?" the samurai asked, arching an eyebrow.

"A few weeks, at most about a month since I reincarnated," said Aria lightly.

"Impossible," said Jericho in disbelief, "A few years, I would have believed, but only a month?"

"Chalk it up to my mana levels," said Aria, smirking under her mask. "Fighting the crème of the crop of the Netherworld for a month goes a long way, believe it or not. Now let's focus, I think that's the second gate up ahead."

Jericho had spotted it too, a glowing yellow light with, his demonic eyes picked out, a figure seated in front of it, no doubt the summoner. "Crap, slow down," he hissed to Aria. She slid to a halt, giving him a curious look. "That's no ordinary gate, that's a cross-dimensional one," he explained quickly. "Only someone at Overlord level strength could pull one off, and to do it solo and keep it as well hidden as he did... This is gonna be trouble…"

"The plan stays the same," said Aria firmly. "We attack and disrupt the gate, then hold him off until reinforcements arrive."

"You think reinforcements will help against a demon with the strength of an Overlord?" growled Jericho.

"You're forgetting that the reinforcements consist of an Overlord!" snapped Aria.

Jericho rolled his eyes wearily. "Look, I'll admit he pulled off an impressive stunt playing the hero at the fort, but that's all he is. Just a human hero."

"An Overlord Hero, named by the former Dean himself," spat Aria, scowling fiercely. "Don't underestimate him."

Jericho raised his hands in submission. "Alright, we'll do it your way. Just don't confuse loyalty with blind compulsion."

"The hell does that mean?" asked Aria angrily. Jericho shook his head.

"Doesn't matter, let's… take out an Overlord, I guess…" he said, drawing his sword and turning to charge. Aria followed suit, the two of them racing for summoner in the distance. They sped through the wasteland faster than they had before, eyes locked on their target-

-Who looked up, returning their glares, and grinned smugly.

"Jericho, it's a trap!" yelled Aria, a second too late. Flaming bolts struck the ground around them, bursting into huge pillars of flame, the force of the attack knocking Aria and Jericho off their feet. Both of them managed to twist and land safely away from the towers of flames, miraculously unharmed.

"Good news and bad news, Aria," said Jericho, peering through the fire. "Good news is that the summoner probably didn't do things solo, meaning they might not be Overlord level. Bad news is-"

"-He didn't do things solo," finished Aria, spotting movement. "I guessed. He's got friends."

"PHoeNiX…" growled a rumbling voice from beyond the flames, "you MiSSeD…" A figure hulked out of the burning wall. He was huge, dressed in both animal hides and sturdy armour the colour of brick, like a berserker or a heavy knight, but at least several heads taller than any one Aria and Jericho had ever seen. His grinning fangs could be seen from under a helmet made of a Zombie Dragon's skull and along his body several other skulls and bones substituted for pieces of armour. The most intimidating thing about the figure, however, was the huge, double-headed axe he was dragging along behind him, an axe comprised of bones that seemed to pulse with life in the flickering light of the flames.

"That was a warning shot, obviously," came another voice, this one belonging to a red headed Valkyrie landing beside the hulking figure. This newcomer, who bore a wicked spear the colour of her hair, was a more typical demon, her heaver armour on her limbs and the blouse under the traditional chest-belt being the only thing that stood out from a regular demon Valkyrie. But, judging from the ferocity of the attack, she was clearly a force to be reckoned with.

"Oi, Sienna. Dibs the ninja," the spear carrying red-head said, grinning at Aria. The giant beside her groaned in frustration.

"you aLWayS GeT To PiCK, PHoeNiX," complained the behemoth. "I WaNTeD THe GiRLyyy. THeY'Re JuCieR."

"Ah, but samurai boy over there's wearing some nice armour. He'd be crunchier, like a potato chip." reasoned Phoenix. The behemoth known as Sienna grinned widely.

"MMMMMM… PoTaTo!" he yelled, hurling his axe at Jericho without warning. The samurai barely managed to raise his sword to block the attack. The axe struck Jericho's blade heavily, knocking him backwards as his feet dug into the ground, trying to regain traction. The axe continued to spin, grinding into his sword and forcing him to push with all his strength against it, his off hand pressed against the flat of his sword resist the spinning blade. With a tremendous shout, Jericho managed to push back the axe, sending it spinning back to the freakish giant.

"Ow, crap…" panted Jericho, glancing at his sword arm that was now bent at a strange angle. He winced in pain, realising the injury. "Ah, broke my arm… Mega Heal!" A green glow surrounded his arm, reducing the pain to a tingle and mending his forearm, his bone twisting back into place. He glanced over to Aria, who was poised in a kunoichi stance, ready to react. "I really don't recommend getting hit by one of their attacks," he advised sagely.

"Can you take him?" she asked, concerned. Jericho nodded.

"He just got the drop on me, that's all. I won't let him do it again," he assured her, brandishing his sword in his now healed arm.

Aria nodded and leveled her spear. "Alright. Let's shut this invasion down."

The flame haired demon just grinned wider. "Die trying," she said, dropping into a relaxed stance. The behemoth roared, shaking the air and earth.

The battle was on.

* * *

_Chapter 5 –end-_

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Varanotes: So was it worth the wait?

This was originally one chapter, but I split it into two for a few reasons. One was length, I didn't want to lose all control over the sizes of my chapters.

The other reason is I'm a jerkass who wants to make you wait another week for the exiting climax of the invasion.

Honestly? It was mainly the latter. :P

Hit those review buttons and tell me what you thought, even if it's just a 'lol nice chapter'. I want to hear if you liked it or even if you hated it, it makes my day to get feedback from my readers.

Alright, until next time,

--Varanus


	6. Seige Diem, Part 2

Thanks for the review, General Generic! Now, the exiting conclusion!

_disclaimer: N1's characters are N1's characters._

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**Fail to the King!**

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_Chapter 6 - Seige Diem, Part 2_

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Almaz swept his sword through another feral orc, slicing it neatly as if it were air. The freshly spawned demon instantly faded into the cloud of mana it had been only a few moments before. Seeing three more demons emerge from the gate to replace it, he gritted his teeth and charged, burning his power instantly to execute a Blade Rush. He tore through the fresh demons like paper, then continued the attack, chaining slashes faster than even an enhanced eye could see to cut down the horde before they could even flex their claws. Around him, Griff was spinning through the demons, a flurry of death delivered with every hit that connected. And Griff never missed a target. Almaz could tell from the flashes of lights followed by the roar of explosions that his vassals were doing well. Now if only Cieg could hurry up with gate… there was an anxiety gnawing at Almaz that he knew wasn't related to the forest of enemies around him.

There was a surge of light as the portal grew erratic and unravelled. Well, speak of the devil, the plan worked. "Griff! Cut me a path to Cieg!" Almaz yelled over the noise of the battlefield. Griff, corkscrewing though the air, landed before Almaz crackling with golden energy. Wheeling around to face the crowd, he let out a shout as he punched the air with both fists, the energy leaping from his body into a spiralling tornado of heat and air that tossed and pulverised every demon caught in the fierce vortex. Slapping Griff on the back in thanks, he rushed through the opening to reach Cieg, startling the mage and causing a flare-up of fire that sent the demons below flying.

"S-sorry it took so long…" stammered Cieg, motioning his staff to make a line of fire in the enemy ranks. "I'm glad I brought my really-good staff after all…"

"Don't worry about it, you did good," said Almaz, scanning the battlefield from the view the rock plateau they were standing on. "Okay, looks like everybody has a handle on the demons now… without that portal, it looks like the worst has past…" Almaz paused, then cringed. _'Did I just say what I think I did? Idiot! Now things will get even-' _"Regroup! Regroup, everybody!" he screamed at the battle, praying that his vassals would here him before-

Vortexes of light began to form around the battlefield, surrounding Almaz's party. Cieg gasped. "It's a trap! The big gate was only there to lure us into the little ones!" he squealed, shivering in fear. "There's so many- they'll summon three times the number of demons!" Demons began to shamble from the portals, slow at fist, then picking up speed, Almaz's vassals desperately trying to fight off the redoubled horde.

"Oh crap… That summoner is stalling for time…" Almaz said, gritting his teeth. Cieg paused for a moment, peering off to the west.

"You- you're right… I'm sensing- at-at least three super powerful demons at the west gate! I think they're fighting Miss Aria and mister samurai! They need backup!" the mage cried.

'_Crap crap crap! What do I do?' _Almaz began to panic, eyes darting between the battle raging below and the speck of light in the west. _'We're going to be swallowed up here if I don't- but Aria and Jericho need- but I can't abandon this battle- what do I-?' _It was hopeless. No matter what he did, no matter how much he wanted to help, Almaz couldn't save all of them. If he kept fighting against the thousands of demons here, Aria and Big Star's vassal, Jericho, would be killed once the summoner finished the massive gate in the west. He trusted his kunoichi vassal's skills, but an onslaught like this was just too much for any one person to endure. But, if he went to stop the summoner, he might save Aria but doom his vassals and the entire the sophomore year to destruction.

'_I'm only one guy… I can't… I can't do this… I can't win on my own…'_ thought Almaz, slipping into despair. _'Somebody… help…'_

Without warning, laser beams shot out into the feral legion, violently ripping through the demons with shocking ease. Almaz stared in disbelief as his prayers were answered as huge swathes of the army were cut down by the hundreds, no, thousands, no, _millions _of beams of destructive light. Almaz knew that attack, he had seen it countless times over the past month.

"Almaz," said a familiar voice behind him. "I watched your DVDs."

Turning, Almaz came face to face with him. The demon celebrated as the greatest Honour Student in Evil Academy, who he considered his best friend and who was now considered his greatest rival. Mao, grinning madly, with his red jacket trailing in the wind and his fist reared back for a punch.

"ALMAZ!" he roared, his fist connecting with the young hero's jaw, "LET'S SEE YA GRIT THOSE TEETH!" Smashed square in the face, Almaz was sent flying by the force behind the blow, hitting the dirt hard and sprawling out onto the edge of the cliff. Any further and he would have plummeted right off of the outcrop they were on. Clutching the side of his face, Almaz stared with wide, shocked eyes at the demon.

"Heh," chuckled Mao, flexing his fingers. "You know, my extensive hero research has shown that no amount of mental turmoil can withstand a straight right hook. Of course, I didn't punch you to cure you from whatever your current complex is about." Mao stepped forward, towering above Almaz and looking down at him through his glasses. "I did it because you're seriously pissing me off."

Almaz opened his mouth to say something, but Mao cut him off with a glare. "Zip it and face the facts. You don't know how to be an Overlord! All you know is how to be a Hero. But here you are, trying to do an Overlord's job and being surprised when it blows up in your face. You should stick with what you're good at. Stick with being a Hero."

"So, what did your 'extensive research' tell you about what I should do?" asked Almaz bitterly. Mao grinned.

"Go to the source of the problem, show up in the nick of time and save the world, duh." Mao shrugged, feigning indifference. "You're obviously not suited to fighting crazy battles like this. Leave it to the real Overlord material demons, like me." The white-haired demon walked past Almaz and looked out into the regrouping feral army, still pouring out of the multitude of gates.

Almaz stared at his back in disbelief for a moment, then stood up, full of determination. "You're right. I'll leave it to you then, I've got a summoner to stop."

"Just in case you were wondering…" said Mao casually, glancing back at Almaz, "An Overlord wouldn't have sat around and let someone just invade while he fought their lackeys." Almaz gave him a questioning look and Mao looked back at the battle. "See, an Overlord would have just gone straight to the head of the invasion and cut it off, you get me?"

Almaz, lost for words, simply nodded in understanding and made a running jump off the cliff edge, indigo energy flowing around him in a bright aura. Glowing wings erupted from his back and, with a single beat, the Overlord Hero raced for the western gate, trailing sparks of light in his wake in lieu of feathers.

"You- you think he can do it alone?" stammered Cieg nervously. Mao shrugged.

"Eh, we'll mop up here and be right behind him if there're any problems," he said indifferently, drawing his sword. The feral demons had managed to crawl their way towards the outcrop, surrounding them.

"Today we're conducting an experiment entitled 'Newly Spawned Demons; Lifestyle in a High Hostility Environment'" said Mao, grinning in the faces of the snarling monsters like he was at a mad-science fair. "Glad to see so many volunteers!"

* * *

Ducking under a low swing, Jericho was forced to pull back from his attack once again. He struck from another angle, but the beast seemed to anticipate this and turned the tables swiftly.

Jericho found himself trapped under the assault of the insane giant Sienna. It's not that he wasn't hitting him, no, it was that every attack, every cut the samurai made, he was either deflected by the demon's bizarre armour or only able to land a grazing wound before the giant swung around and gave chase. The bastard was obviously a master of the axe to swing it with such ease and precision unlike any Jericho had seen before, but the attacks seemed so haphazard and random, leaving no openings or vulnerabilities. This Sienna was obviously either a master of a drunken boxing-esque axe style or he was simply, terrifyingly powerful and insane. Probably both.

"STay STiLL PoTaTo i'M HuNGRy!" screamed the madman, bringing down his axe in a swing that ruptured the earth. Jericho opened his mouth to deliver a retort that was cut short as the huge axe curved through the soil into a swing he could barely dodge.

"Alright, I'm sick of playing around," the samurai growled, leaping for the behemoth. Sienna raised his axe to swat him down, but Jericho twisted around in mid air, dodging the axe and simultaneously knocking it away with a powerful blow from his sword. Soaring through the air above Sienna, Jericho made his power shift to his will and stabbed downwards. He hissed in annoyance as his sword buried itself in the behemoth's unguarded collar, slicing through the flesh of his target's chest rather than piercing the bastard's ribcage and turning his organs into a kebab as Jericho had intended.

Fortunately, Jericho wasn't finished yet. He spun his body as he whipped up a mana enhanced whirlwind around them, viciously spinning the demon held onto his sword by the same energies. They were both lifted into the air by the hurricane around them, Jericho's sword cutting into Sienna's ribs. Then, the winds dissapitated and Jericho swung the behemoth off his sword, sending him crashing to the ground below with a sickening crunch. Grinning, Jericho dived back to the ground, sword poised for the finishing blow. "Hurricane Slash!"

A fist the size of a boulder swatted him from the air and he landed in a crumpled heap in the dirt. Leering painfully through the dust, Jericho saw the behemoth rise easily, grinning madly despite his injuries. _'What does it take to put this guy down?'_ groaned Jericho inwardly, wincing in pain from Sienna's backhand. He never found the answer to his question, as the hulking demon leapt at him, axe raised high, and the world exploded in dust and light and sparks and pain.

* * *

Aria desperately evaded a series of stabs from the red-head's spear, the attacks coming as swiftly as a cobra striking for it's prey. She circled around the Valkyrie, deflecting blow and returning strikes as if dancing, trying to create breathing space. It was no good— Aria had trained for centuries in the art of the spear, and she could tell this woman was the paragon of spear mastery. She used it's reach to her total advantage, carving out an invisible, uncrossable barrier in the air around her, spinning and thrusting her trident in movements like a flickering flame, all light and grace, but bringing destruction and pain at the slightest touch. It was no good. Her old mentors had sometimes called the spear the king of weapons. This single Valkyrie proved it so.

Also, the bitch wouldn't stop talking.

"Come on, I wanted a challenge! If you're not going to put up a fight, I should have just gone with the samurai, huh?" Phoenix taunted. Growling, Aria pumped her demonic energies to their extreme, launching a volley of attacks at the red-head that halted her advance.

"Hmm… not bad," mused Phoenix, twisting underneath one stab and deflecting another with her spear. Aria scowled deeper, and her attacks grew tenfold in speed and ferocity, stabbing an uncountable number of times with an uncountable number of spears. "Hey, getting better," taunted Phoenix cheerfully as her right hand gauntlets were ripped off, "You almost- Ouch, oh, hey, you nicked me there, congrats!"

Aria was summoning forth spears as fast as she could, trapping the red-head in a forest of identical spears until the red-head couldn't move for the sheer density of illusionary weapons holding her down. Feeling her power begin to wane, Aria focused her energy into her spear and leapt above the forest for the finishing strike.

"It's over," whispered Aria, lightning crackling from the blade of her spear. Phoenix looked up, catching the kunoichi's glare dead on, and smirked.

"You bet it is," she said, flaming spears materialising all around them. Too late to react, Aria could only widen her eyes in shock as the spears plunged into the earth, exploding into huge gouts of flame that obliterated her spear forest and rose to catch her, incinerating her flesh from the heat and breaking her bones from the force of the earth-shattering explosion.

Phoenix grinned in satisfaction as she watched the charred, broken corpse of the once beautiful kunoichi fall in tatters to the ground—

Then froze in surprise as the black corpse landed perfectly on it's feet. There was a shimmer, like a mirage, and the charred visage faded, revealing Aria's unharmed form, untouched by the flames. She pulled down her face mask, to catch a breath of air.

"'Flame Haze', the Art of Escape." Aria explained. "Illusionary spears aren't the only thing I— ghhhk!" She choked in pain as Phoenix suddenly appeared in front of her, stabbing her in the gut with her fierce spear. Aria's own spear almost slipped from her fingers, but the kunoichi refused to lose her weapon. She tried to step back, to escape, but her muscles were seized up. _'Her spear… it causes paralysation!'_ Aria realised with a bolt of fear, unable to move. _'She's trapped me in a cage of my own skin!'_

"If I wanted your life story…" spoke Phoenix softly, almost playfully, as she pulled her spear from Aria's bleeding gut, "…I would have asked where you got those implants first." She stabbed again, under the ribcage, forcing Aria to shift her stance to avoid collapsing under the pain. Phoenix smiled sweetly at this. "Admittedly, you're not bad. Hell, you managed to rough me up a bit, after all." Three more stabs, piercing her lung, her shoulder and her navel. "But seriously, you're no match for me. It was fun though." Five quick stabs. Aria's body was a crimson waterfall, but she refused to cry out. She was the Overlord's vassal, after all. "So I'll grant you some last words. Anything come to mind?"

"S-sorry… L-lord Almaz…" spluttered Aria, blood pouring from her mouth. Phoenix scowled fiercely.

"That's it? You're apologising to your boss?" asked the Valkyrie in disgusted disbelief. "You lose and die like every other kunoichi, simpering after the guy who holds your leash? No ambition, no individuality… You just threw away any respect you earned from me, generic bitch," she spat venomously, stabbing again, hard and vindictive, earning a pained choke from the dying kunoichi.

"N-never… wa…wanted i-it…" Aria spat out, grinning an agonised, bloody smile, causing Phoenix's scowl to deepen. The Valkyrie jumped backwards, spinning her spear into position while still glaring in disgust at Aria.

"Whatever, just die," the red-haired demon snapped, shooting forwards to skewer the kunoichi on her spear.

She never made it. Her strike clanged against metal as a sword blocked the wicked spear's attack. Aria slumped to her knees in both relief and pain upon seeing the sword wielder's familiar red scarf.

"Sorry I'm late, Aria," said Almaz, his voice thick with regret. "How bad are you hurt?"

"I-I have… had worse," she choked out, struggling to stand. "I c-can still fight… give you… op-opening…"

"Like hell!" screamed Phoenix at the bloody figure. Almaz lunged at her, his sword cutting air as Phoenix twisted to avoid the attack by inches.

"Never hurt my friends," he said in a cold, angry voice. Phoenix's face contorted to make a reply, but instead she suddenly raised her arm in defence. A spearhead shot a split second later, catching Phoenix in her unarmoured arm and pinning it into her side, Aria grinning bloodily as her extended spear struck true. Phoenix widened her eyes in surprise, cursing silently, then a shadow descended on her. Almaz, armed not with his normal longsword but with katanas in each hand and his jaw, whirled around like a buzz-saw. Caught off-guard, Phoenix took the attack head on, Almaz's spinning swords cutting deep into her and breaking her ribs despite her mana enhanced durability. Paralyzed in a shocked silence, she couldn't react until the attack stopped and the Overlord landed behind her. She took a shaky step forward, and drew a gasping breath into her crushed lungs, only to lose that breath in a howl of pain as Almaz finished the attack, stabbing her through once, twice, _three_ times with the mana-enhanced blades.

"T-that all…?" Phoenix asked brazenly but shakily, wincing in pain as Almaz tore his swords from her back. She, like Aria, was still standing somehow after Almaz's Spinning Swordance.

"Allow m-me, Almaz," said Aria, grinning mercilessly. Her elongated spear, still stuck into Phoenix's side, shot forward, dragging the red-head with it. Aria heaved, pulling the ridiculously long spear up high and back down again, slamming Phoenix into a crater in the ground. Then, Aria's energy left her and the spear shifted to it's normal state.

She almost collapsed onto the ground, but an unfamiliar arm caught her before she fell. "Easy, Aria, I got you. Giga Heal," came Jericho's voice. A green aura surrounded her and Aria felt her body stitch itself up and the pain be reduced to a warm tingling sensation. Jericho cast the spell again and Aria felt refreshed and new, the stab wounds now just a lingering phantom memory.

"Careful, that's just a temporary fix," warned Jericho, helping her stand. "You'll need to see a dedicated healer to fix you up properly."

"Thanks, Jericho. And thank you, Lord Almaz," breathed Aria in relief. "Guess I got the short straw, huh?"

"You and me both," replied Jericho, looking at Almaz with a grin poking at his mouth. "I'd probably be some psychotic man-child's afternoon snack if it wasn't for your timely arrival, Overlord…" he paused, then scowled in mock-annoyance. "Just, next time you chose to dive bomb a giant berserker, try not to make it explode directly in my face too."

"Ah, speaking of which…" said Almaz, nervously pointing behind Jericho. Sure enough, the hulking Sienna had risen from the crater and was shambling his way towards the group, his visible mouth twisted in frustration. However, Aria saw he was no longer decked in the bizarre armour, it having been blown off in the explosion caused, apparently, by Almaz's massive Slayer's Descent. Plus, he seemed to be on his last legs, as opposed to the nightmare Jericho had faced beforehand.

Almaz tossed Jericho one of his katanas. "You're a swordmaster, right?"

Jericho cocked an eyebrow. "I've spent my entire life in dedication to it's mastery."

"So you know Cross-Level Flurry, I'm guessing?" asked Almaz, brandishing his two remaining katanas.

Jericho grinned viscerally. "Let's do it."

The two of them rushed the giant, blades poised to strike. Jericho ducked under Sienna's maddened swing while Almaz soared over it, landing behind the madman. In the same footfall, the two warriors leapt, releasing their pent up energies in a furious flurry of stabs that Sienna could not dodge or block, only take dead on. Remaining chips of armour shattered under the blows, crumpling as the two swordsmen delivered simultaneous overhead strikes and stabs. Landing on the ground at either side of Sienna, Almaz and Jericho crossed their blades, channelled them with energy and delivered the coup de grace. A cross-slash pincer burst around the behemoth, energy flaring violently and slamming into Sienna. The giant roared in pain as he buckled and collapsed from the sheer force of the attacks, unconscious or dead.

Jericho kicked him for good measure. "And stay down, you gigantic prick."

Almaz panted from exertion. "Okay… we stopped the portal…"

"No, you didn't." said a bored voice.

The three turned to see the summoner sitting cross-legged nearby, a golden glow behind him, looking for all the world like he should be eating popcorn. He was lazily resting his elbow on his knee, his red eyes not showing great interest in the battles that had taken place.

"Hmmm… good job against my associates. Might not be so lucky next time." He said, making a motion with his hand. Sienna's outline became a blurred, amber light which disappeared into the portal behind him. Phoenix's body followed suit.

"What makes you so sure they'll be a next time?" asked Aria, scowling. The summoner shrugged.

"Because I'm running away now, obviously," he snorted, impassively staring at the group. "So, yeah, they'll be a next time, Overlord Hero, and you won't get the element of surprise again."

"You're just running away?" asked Almaz in angry disbelief. "After all this chaos? Who do you think you are?"

The summoner rolled his red eyes wearily. "I hate introducing myself, I meet so few people I hardly see the point these days. But if you really want to know my name…" his voice plummeted to a whisper that carried as well as the loudest shout, "Why don't you ask your dear Princess about me?"

Aria breathed in sharply while Almaz froze deathly still. Jericho glanced confusedly between the two.

"What…?" came Almaz's deathly, terrified voice.

"Well, got to run. See ya," said the demon, vanishing into the portal.

"You're not getting away!" yelled Almaz furiously, leaping into the portal after the demon.

"Lord Almaz, wait!" called Aria franticly, leaping in behind him.

"Hold it! It's a trap! You don't know where it leads!" Jericho called after them, but it was much too late. The samurai scowled, considering his options. He picked the most logical, appropriate, response possible and, after much deliberation, decided to do the exact opposite. He jumped into the portal after them.

Then, the portal faded, leaving the battlefield in silence.

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_Chapter 6 -end-_

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Varanotes: Well. That's that then.

Part of me still isn't too happy with the action sequences, so tell me what you thought. Seriously, I want some tips on how I can improve 'em. Are they too wordy, or am I just trying too much at one time? Reviews please, this is literally what it's there for.

Next chapter, Cinos gives us a glimpse of what he's capable of, and Almaz and company find out that their fight is a whole lot bigger than just _their_ netherworld.

Plus, we learn about Sapphire's fate, since I know you're all dying to find out. Taking all bets, hit that review button!

Until next time,

--Varanus


	7. Goodnight, Travel Well

To my kind reviewers: Nightmare Syndrom, HefnerJ and General Generic, thanks a ton for your feedback, it really helped. The Ansem Man, lol, I will endeavor to avoid that scenario. Anonymus, thanks for the review and enjoy this next chapter!

_Usual disclaimer: N1 characters are N1's characters._

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**Fail to the King!**

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_Chapter 7 - Goodnight, Travel Well_

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In the silent blanket of night… she dreams.

She dreams of a thousand years past, of power and violence and emptiness.

Dreaming, she sees a thousand souls writhe in pain. She reaches her hand out to help them, and they vanish into sand. She sees a vast army with a soldier for every star in the sky. She blinks, and the stars are blotted out. A panic-eyed girl makes a desperate plea. She opens her mouth to reply and the girl is devoured by misty shadows. The shadows grow, devouring the sky and the earth, robbing her of sight, of sound and of everything that…

She woke up in a cold sweat, panting heavily. Alarmed, she shot up from her bed and scanned her surroundings, heart beating madly. Through a gap in the curtain she could see the stars, reassuring her that she was safe at home.

She lay still for a moment. Truthfully, the dreams were becoming less frightening as time went by, but she knew she could not return to sleep. Months spent tossing and turning in vain attempts to calm down told her as much. Not without the usual routine…

Rising, she wrapped a robe over her thin nightdress and stepped as silently as she could out of her room and down the corridor, wincing at every creak the old floorboards made underfoot. She didn't delude herself into thinking her movements were stealthy, but if any of the other residents of the house ever heard her, they mercifully remained silent. It had become routine, after all.

Pausing at the last door before the landing, she glanced around in the gloom out of habit before turning the handle and slipping inside. Dropping the robe and tiptoeing her way over to the bed, she lightly pressed her hand against the sleeper, waking him.

"Another nightmare?" the young man asked, awakened instantly. Seeing her nod in reply, he moved over to give her space. Lying down beside him, she felt his arms wrap reassuringly around her. She was safe once more.

'_That's right…"_ she reminded herself as she drifted off to a peaceful sleep, _"I am no longer a being of solitude…'_

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* * *

_

Bursting from the portal, Almaz was immediately assailed by the blinding cold gales of the new world. Raising his arm to shield his face against the winds, he took a step forward and sunk to his knee in the snow drifts. A bubble of panic rose in him. It was nearly pitch black, the light of the portal behind him almost blotted out by the swirling snow. He was facing an unknown foe in the middle of a blizzard at the dark of night, not to mention that this was a completely different world, separate from the Academy.

"Lord Almaz!" called Aria, bursting from the portal. "We need to… crap, it's cold!" She stumbled slightly, disorientated momentarily by the radical shift in surroundings. Behind her, Jericho emerged from the light, the storm catching him by surprise as well.

"We've got to return!" yelled Aria over the raging winds, "We still need to stop the rest of the feral demons! I know you want to protect Lady Sapphire, I understand how you feel but—"

"No you don't!" shouted Almaz, struggling to keep his voice audible over the blizzard's howl. "If we don't stop these guys they'll just return another day with an even stronger army! And…" He suddenly realised something. "And the Princess! What if it's not just our world that's in danger? What if the Princess was attacked as she was leaving the Academy?"

"The same thing is going to happen to us if we don't head back, right now!" yelled Jericho. "This is a trap, don't you get it?" As soon as he said those words, the portal abruptly vanished, robbing them of what little illumination they had, leaving them stranded in the dark new world. "Great, the bastard has a sense of humour too…" Jericho growled, drawing his sword. A gout of flame leaped onto it, coating the blade in flames and creating a makeshift torch.

"If he's making jokes, it means he's nearby," said Almaz, peering through the darkness, to no avail. He could see they were in some sort of forest, but beyond the line of dark pine trees it was simply a snowy void. "Aria, can you spot anything?" The kunoichi shook her head and the young Overlord felt a surge of panic and annoyance rise within him.

"Stop hiding and show yourself!" Almaz yelled into the storm. He wasn't naïve enough to think the sorcerer would actually appear before him, but he was banking on the hope that the demon was arrogant enough to taunt him from the darkness. There was no way Almaz could let him escape, not if he had done something to Sapphire…

"You think I'm stupid enough to attack head on?" asked a bored voice from the darkness. The voice echoed around them, confusing Almaz as to where it came from, but before he had to say anything, Aria leapt straight ahead into the darkness. Almaz and Jericho immediately followed, trusting her ears.

"You only won that little tussle with my associates because you ambushed them," drawled the voice, the bored echo almost impossible to place. Aria changed direction slightly, ears honed for the source of the taunts.

"Granted, that's a valid tactic. First strike wins, as your Princess put it," said the voice again, clearer this time. Almaz ignored the taunt and focused on following Aria through the storm. They burst into a clearing and slid to a halt, sensing something was amiss. Aria took a step forward into the clearing and realised what the problem was. The snow on the ground was much thinner here. The trees had disappeared, and she could feel hard rock below her feet, as opposed to frozen dirt and leaves.

"Let me show you just how valid a tactic ambush is…" whispered the voice as two lights blinked to life before them. There was a low growl and the air shuddered. From the darkness, a beast emerged, a beast that glowed with it's own ominous light. It was a white wolf, as huge as a castle, towering above them like the hunting dog of an ice giant. It growled at them, baring icicle fangs, it's ozone-stench breath even colder than the storm that raged around them.

"W-what is that?" exclaimed Almaz.

"Omega Ice," answered the summoner's voice as the wolf howled. The wind accelerated to gale force speeds as ice crystals like massive obelisks were sent flying into the group. They shattered into icy shrapnel that shot into them, pounding against their bodies. Almaz gasped in surprise as he felt frozen daggers cut into him in a dozen places, tearing into him and sucking his body heat away, rooting him to the spot. Jericho met the same fate, his bones shattered by chunks of ice that hit him like ballistic missiles. Aria tried to summon a flame haze to avoid the attack to no avail, as a hailstone the size of her fist struck her in the temple, breaking her concentration and leaving her vulnerable to the whirling icestorm around her.

Broken and crushed, Almaz, Aria and Jericho fell to the snowy ground, flecks of their blood staining the snow around them. The trees faded back into reality and the storm abated to it's original intensity. As his consciousness faded, Almaz's agonised, detached mind noted two things. First was the lack of blood pouring from his body. His blood was probably frozen in his veins.

Second was the bored voice of the sorcerer.

"One mention of your vapid crush and you come running like a dog. Pathetic."

Then, the pain and the cold vanished as his mind slipped into nothingness.

'_Sapphire…'_

_

* * *

_

"Sapphire?"

Sapphire blinked, realising someone had called her. She shook her head, trying to shake off the daydream she had been having and glanced down at Cyprus, who was looking at her with a cocked head, worry evident in his eyes.

"… I… I'm just tired," said Sapphire, smiling slightly. "Feels like we've been walking for days." After giving up on trying to re-open the gate, they were walking down a mountain path through the mountains known as the Silver Range, a mountain range that stretched along the kingdom's western borders. Though green plains evident in the distance, they were still a long way from the capital. "How much longer do we have to walk, anyway?" she asked, turning to Aurum, who scowled.

"How should I know? I haven't been here for over two hundred years, unlike you…" he said irritably. "How did you even find the portal in the first place?"

"It's a national secret, but since I'm the princess it wasn't too tough to figure it out." Sapphire shrugged. "My father wouldn't tell me, so I went and asked a demon instead."

Aurum raised an eyebrow. "I'll assume you were polite then?" he asked sarcasticly.

"Yup. I even left him with one of his kneecaps as a thank you," Sapphire replied sweetly.

"Hmm… Regardless, we've still got at least another day of travel ahead of us until we reach some sort of civilisation. Just focus on walking."

"That's all right for you to say! You can trot around to your heart's content!" said Sapphire, scowling at Aurum. "I may have gotten stronger in the Netherworld but I'm still human! We've been walking for a day without stopping! I need to rest or I'll collapse!"

"We can rest once we reach the grasslands up ahead." Aurum replied, rolling her eyes at Sapphire's melodrama.

"What about food? I haven't eaten since I followed you out of Evil Academy!"

"If worse comes to worse, Sapphire, you can eat me." Cyprus said dutifully.

"I might have to!" said Sapphire. There was an awkward moment of silence. "But it probably won't come to that… hopefully…" she added sheepishly.

"Why are you even complaining to me?" asked Aurum, walking ahead of the princess and her wolf in attempt to distance himself from her complaints.

"Umm, because everything is your fault," said Sapphire, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes.

"Now you're just being petulant," sighed the ex-hero.

"Not really. When you stop and think about it, everything really is pretty much directly your fault," she said in a matter-of-fact way. She began listing off her fingers. "I'm cut off from the academy because that weird demon was targeting you-"

"Now really, that's just-"

"-Almaz became Overlord instead of Mao because you were _obsessed_ with Mao killing you—"

"… Not necessarily what happened when-"

"-You were even the one that got Almaz turned into a demon when you set Mao on him, too—"

"How did you even find out about _that_? Mao would never have admitted it wasn't his plan-"

"Now that I think about it, you were always there as Geoffrey, interfering with the Academy and manipulating all kinds of events, even the war between the year groups! As far as I'm concerned, everything bad that happened to my friends is on your head."

"Oh? In that case, what about all the memories you made with them?" Aurum asked, hiding a sly grin. "Friendships forged in the fires of battle are the best kind, after all. If I'm accountable for all the hardships you all went through, why, that means I must equally be held accountable for the bonds of friendship you all forged together, hmm?"

Sapphire was dumbstruck for a moment, but a growl from Cyprus snapped her out of her speechlessness. "N-no, not one bit! I went to fight the Overlord and to- Anyway, I already knew I could trust Almaz, so I only became everyone's friend because of him, not you!"

"Ah, so if I'm not completely the cause of your friendships, then I must not be completely the cause of you hardships. Quod erat dēmonstrandum, not everything is my fault." Aurum replied in an amused tone.

"What kind of logic is _that?_ Me becoming friends with Rasberyl and everyone else had nothing to do with you! Name one thing that wasn't your fault!" Sapphire yelled at the back of the ex-hero.

"How about Mao's mind turning into a baby's? Admit it, princess, that was completely Almaz's fault," retorted Aurum. Sapphire stared at him, mouth agape.

"I don't remember that…" said Cyprus, confused.

"It was before your time…" mumbled Sapphire. "A-anyway, that doesn't count! He fixed it himself, so he can't be blamed! Name something else, I dare you!" she declared, pointing a defiant finger at Aurum.

Aurum scowled darkly. "Something else, hmm? Well then, I recall Almaz becoming catatonic with shock after you abandoned him like everyone else did when he became Overlord. Tell me, are you also going to push the blame of his abandonment on me? Because, if I'm not mistaken, I was the only one who remained in that throne room that day. I waited there while I recovered, protecting him from assassins and the like. I wanted to see him stand with his own power. He didn't. He _couldn't._ That's when I realised, when I began to remember how it was for me. He's a hero, I'll freely admit that now. Do you even know what that means?"

"I-" began Sapphire, but Aurum cut her off.

"It means his heart is open. To lift his sword, he needs something to fight for. When he falls, he needs someone to help him back up. Imagine my surprise when that person wasn't you." He leered at her, his face darkened with contempt.

"I made a mistake! No… I mean, I needed to…" Sapphire stammered, unable to form an argument. She shook her head furiously, refusing to meet Aurum's glare.

"Hey, what's that over there?" she suddenly exclaimed, pointing out towards the grasslands in the distance.

"Don't change the subject," said Aurum, his face still dark.

"Seriously, I saw a flash of something bright!" insisted Sapphire. "It might be a car!"

Both the demonic ex-hero and wolf narrowed their eyes, searching the horizon for the flash of light Sapphire had spotted. Knowing what to look for, it was easy to spot with their mana strengthened eyes what she had glimpsed.

"Hmm… Yes, it looks like a vehicle…" muttered Aurum under his breath.

"Multiple vehicles, heading in our direction," said Cyprus, looking up at Sapphire. "What could it be?"

"Hmm… there aren't any towns nearby, and demons have been known to roam around here, what with the gate and everything…" Sapphire thought for a moment, then smacked her open palm with her fist in realisation. "I know! It must be a military convoy! This is great, they'll take us straight to the capital! Cyprus, let's go!"

She hopped on her loyal wolf's back and took off down the slope at speed, leaving Aurum behind on the mountain.

"Running away again, hmm?" the ex-hero contemplated quietly to himself. "Well then, what should I do…?"

* * *

Heaving an agonised groan, Aria managed to push herself up from the snow, propping herself up on her spear. She would have called out for the others, but her throat was bruised and raw, barely enough to breath through, let alone shout above the whirling blizzard winds. Neither could she hear anything but those winds nor see through the darkness of the forest- or was it blindness? Bringing a shaking hand to her eyes, she breathed a choking sigh of relief as she felt they were intact, though the left one was caked over with a sheet of frozen blood. Her nose was unhurt too. Pulling down her mask, she used the only sense still available to her. Smell.

She smelled blood. Her blood, which she ignored. An unfamiliar scent of blood. Jericho's, probably. Almaz's blood. Lots of it. Far, far too much.

'_No. No no no no! I will _not_ let him die here!'_

Needing nothing else, Aria began to march, using her spear as a cane. The pain was beyond anything she had ever felt. It froze her guts and burned her flesh and each step sent a thousand sickening, dagger-like sensations spasming throughout her body. Nevertheless, she refused to fall. If she did, she would die. If she died, so would Almaz.

He would not die. She would not fall. She refused to fall.

Her legs betrayed her. She fell.

Instead of meeting the cold snow once more, however, she was lifted into a warm embrace as a blanket was wrapped around her.

"You are safe now," came a voice from far away. Aria felt herself grow lightheaded and she desperately tried to squirm away, clinging onto consciousness.

"Not yet… they… ambushed us… my lord is… help them…" she croaked, coughing up blood, "You have to… to help… the hero needs…"

"We shall find them. Rest now," said the voice.

At the stranger's words, Aria lost all grip of her waning consciousness and plummeted into oblivion.

* * *

The Silver Range, the mountain range to the west of the Kingdom of Rhodonite, has long been notorious for demonic activity, earning it the moniker 'the Devil's Hoard'. In fact, some historians suggest that the name of the range originated, not from the pale grey limestone of the mountains themselves, but from folklore. Stories of greedy souls travelling there, selling their souls for pots of silver, were widely believed in years past and were still used to frighten children to this day. Regardless of how true the stories were, the threat of demons was ever present, prompting many warriors to travel west and make their names as heroes.

Over two hundred years ago, Aurum himself had debuted as a hero at the mountains, cutting down a swath of invading demons that had harassed a village and forcing them back into from where they had emerged, discovering the gateway at the same time. Receiving an audience with the Rhodonite royal family to celebrate his victory, he had informed the king of the gateway of the Netherworld and the dangers it posed. The king, Corundum Rhodonite the Third, promptly introduced a stronger military policy, strengthening the western defences and training stronger soldiers while simultaneously working to unify Rhodonite's bordering neighbours under one common banner against the demons. It was because of this iron policy, alongside the heroes who inspired the people, that Rhodonite was even able to resist the coming cataclysms, such as the Invincible Devastation, and emerge as the highest superpower of the world.

After the disappearance of Aurum, who by this time had become the revered Super Hero, Rhodonite continued to strengthen military presence in every city in order to prevent history from repeating itself. Decades had passed since a demonic invasion but the military, the Rhodonite Guard, remained vigilant against attacks, especially in the wake of the Princesses' disappearance. At such a time, tensions were running high and soldiers remained ready to deploy at a moments notice.

So when sensors in the Silver Range, the last known location of Princess Sapphire's whereabouts, warned of a high-energy mana pulse in the area, it was no surprise when Lieutenant Vincent Burgundy volunteered his platoon for the initial investigation, nor was it a surprise when the Commander-in-Chief, His Majesty King Schrodinger Sardonyx Rhodonite, gave immediate approval.

They were armed with the fastest, strongest and most advanced combat vehicles, the CH30-CHARIOT demonic combat vehicle. Bearing advanced reconnaissance capabilities such as IFF (Identify Friend or Fiend) scanners, as well as specialised anti-demonic weaponry, their mission was the investigation- and suppression- of any and all demonic activity in the area, headed by Lt. Vincent himself, who commanded the personalised, upgraded CH33-CHARIOTX, boasting higher anti-personnel weaponry and particle cannon weaponry in lieu of a conventional ballistic cannon. And a minibar, which Lt. Vincent was enjoying until the alert systems began blaring into his ear.

"Sir, we've spotted an unidentified object heading for us at high speed," announced one of the operators, staring at the monitors installed in the vehicle. "The IFF scan is complete…" the young operator gasped in shock. "Signature frequency is red! It's a demon!"

"Cool off and remember your training, Private," ordered Lt. Vincent calmly. "Get an image scan, I want to see what we're up against." The operator swallowed hard and nodded, tapping the keyboard rapidly. The image that appeared before Vincent was somewhat indistinct and it took him a moment to realise why. "There's two of them- one of them is a mount, the other is…" His eyes boggled. '_Could it be…? Can I be so lucky?' _ "Private! Check the rider's status, immediately!" he barked.

"H-how do I…?" stuttered the shocked operator. Vincent gritted his teeth, irritated. _'Freaking Noobs…' _"Use the analogue stick. Scroll the cursor. Over the target." He growled through his clenched jaws. The soldier quickly did as he was told, and gasped with surprise along with everyone else when the rider's face was magnified on the screens.

"Signature frequency is green, bordering on blue. The signature of the royal family…" muttered Vincent in disbelief. "There's no doubt- It's Princess Sapphire!" His mind spun, imagining the prestige he would earn, being commander of the team that found the prodigal princess. _'Medals… A Rhodonite Cross for certain… maybe even a promotion to First Lieutenant… I could be running the Guard in three years!'_

"B-but…she's riding a _demon!_" another operator exclaimed in shock. Vincent was silent for a moment, then picked up the mouthpiece to the CHARIOT radio system.

"All units, this is your commander, Lt. Vincent Burgundy, speaking," he announced firmly. "We believe the unknown target detected is her majesty Princess Sapphire. I will personally confirm it now. All units, assume and hold formation Theta-c and refrain from any offensive actions without my approval. Heading out now." Nodding to the men in his vehicle, he rose from his chair, holstered his firearm and telescoping spear and opened the door, stepping out of the stationary CHARIOTX.

Sapphire spotted him from a distance and urged Cyprus to slow down. "Be careful and act dumb, okay? We'll pretend you're my pet." she murmured to him, spotting the assault vehicles moving into a semi-circle around them. Cyprus barked a grunt, understanding her reasoning. Rhodonite Kingdom was distrustful of demons, especially non-feral ones like him. It was best to keep a low profile and pretend to be merely a dumb mutt in order to remain with Sapphire. Wherever she went, he would follow. Everything else was secondary.

"Hello there, officer! I am Sapphire Rhodonite, Princess of the Rhodonite Kingdom and I humbly request- Oh, hey, I know you!" exclaimed Sapphire, seeing Lt. Vincent. "You're Corporal… uh…" she tapped her chin, trying to recall the soldier's name.

"Lieutenant Vincent Burgundy, your Highness," Vincent supplied for her. "My platoon here was deployed to investigate an irregularity in the demon gate hidden in the Silver Range."

"Oh, you got a big promotion, didn't you? Congrats!" said Sapphire sweetly. "Don't worry, there's no threat, the gate just shut down, that's all. A wizard did it."

"Shut down?" asked Vincent, surprised. Sapphire nodded. When she didn't elaborate, he eyed Cyprus. "So, you are certain there is no danger…?"

She caught his glance and laughed. "Oh, don't let Cyprus bother you, he's a little sweetheart. I found him as a cub on the start of my quest and he's been taking care of me ever since!" She gave the wolf a hug around the neck, which he responded to with a playful bark. She giggled and began tickling the wolf, who turned around to lick her on the cheek.

"… Anyway, I must ask, what is your Highness doing here? Where have you been this past month?" asked Vincent, trying to avoid contracting diabetes from looking at the scene. Questions and suspicions swam around his head as he recalled the rumours the people spread after the Princess' disappearance, but her reply blasted them all away.

"I've been trying to kill the Overlord, so I spent some time in the Netherworld," she said breezily, rubbing Cyprus' belly. "It's very hush-hush, so I'd appreciate it if you could take me back to the capital."

Vincent began to protest, but Sapphire rose to her feet and scowled fiercely, her hands on her hips. "Look, it's a complicated, not to mention confidential story and I don't want to tell it twice. If you really care, you can sit in while I tell it to Father. If you really want to investigate, be my guest, but do it in your own time. Otherwise, I'm leaving." She passed him in an easy stride, Cyprus at her heels.

"Wait, Princess, of course we'll escort you!" said Vincent quickly, fearing the loss of his possible medals. Sapphire stopped and beamed him a smile, which he returned apprehensively. _'Riding on the backs of demons, swinging from mood in the blink of an eye… no wonder they say she isn't human… she's beyond merely spoiled…'_ Shaking his head as she boarded the CHARIOTX, he followed her and sat down in the commander chair, reaching for the radio handset.

"Attention all units," he announced into the radio. "We have indeed found her Highness Princess Sapphire and our objective is now to escort her home. Units four, five, six and seven will follow my unit as a convoy. All others will remain here on standby to survey the Silver Range in order to confirm the Princess' assertion that there is no demon threat. That is all."

Hanging up, he turned his attention to the Princess, who was leaning tiredly against Cyprus. He realised something, and decided to ask before she fell asleep. "Your Highness, we're about to leave. Is there anything else you need? Anyone else left behind?"

"Huh?" Sapphire's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What? Who did I leave behind?"

"On the mountain," he clarified. "You obviously rushed down very quickly when you spotted us. Did you leave anything behind? Anyone?"

Sapphire was silent for a moment as she stared at the Silver Peaks through a monitor. Somewhere on the slopes was an ex-hero who caused her nothing but pain. Somewhere in those mountains was a pool of water that used to lead to Almaz.

"No. There's nothing there. Nothing at all…" she murmured, slipping into a troubled sleep nestled in Cyprus' fur.

'_Almaz…'_

_

* * *

_

Almaz woke, then immediately wished he hadn't. His body was sore all over, each shallow breath he drew caused a web of pain to spread across his chest. He blinked slowly and, with a little willpower, managed to sit up despite the pain. Checking his injuries, he sighed with relief. He was covered in light bandages, but none of them showed any spots of blood, making it doubtful he had reopened any of his wounds.

Come to think of it, how had he been healed in the first place? Weren't they in a frozen forest miles from civilization? Glancing around only told him he was in a darkened room that was furnished in the oriental style of the second-year dorms. He had been sleeping in a futon rather than a bed, reminding him of the few days he had fought with Mao and Master Big Star's inter-year war. This room was much nicer than what he remembered their dorms were like, though.

"Oh, great, you're awake," came a voice, dripping with sarcasm and anger. Almaz turned to see Jericho leaning against the wall.

"Jericho… did you bring us here?" asked Almaz, wincing as he spoke.

"Are you kidding? I was broken up just as badly as you in that ambush. Remember? The one you led us into?" the samurai growled.

"So where are we?" asked Almaz cautiously, noting the demon's anger.

"I dunno. Why don't you ask Aria when she wakes up. _If _she wakes up, that is," Jericho spat venomously.

Almaz's blood froze. "Tell me what happened."

"Well, the people who found us found Aria first. She was just as hurt as us, worse even, but dragged herself across the snow to find help. She only managed to stay conscious long enough to tell them we were attacked." A sick grin bearing no humour spread across Jericho's face. "After that, it wasn't too difficult to find us, even in a blizzard. Aria had painted quite a trail, after all. A big, bright red one."

Panic and terror seized Almaz's heart. "W-where is she? Is she alright?"

"What do you care? Too lonely to walk alone into stupid, obvious traps like the last one? Not heroic enough to die alone?" the samurai yelled, causing Almaz to shrink backwards into the futon. "You think you're a leader? Or even a hero? The thought makes me sick! You almost led us all into pointless deaths thanks to your brainless naivety!"

"I'm sorry, I just… you don't understand why…" stammered Almaz quietly.

"You're damn right I don't understand. I don't understand how Aria can possibly trust you. Screw you. I've got nothing else to say to you." Jericho growled, sliding the door and storming out of the room.

Almaz sat in stunned silence for a moment, feeling a heavy, guilty weight press down into his gut. He sighed mournfully and dropped back down into the futon, staring up into the deep blue eyes of a demon that had snuck up on him.

"Waagh!" With a scream he shot out of the futon and across the room, spinning to face the demon. She was about his height, with long black hair in bound in a loose silk hair tie and was dressed in a ninja's gi unlike any he had ever seen. Rather than a sash, she wore a thick silk rope around her waist, knotted behind her in huge loops.

"Did I startle you? Please forgive me, zam." The demon bowed respectfully, then smiled at Almaz. "But you are all too serious. Your companion is in good hands. When the blizzard passes we will bring her to a skilled healer, so fear not."

"Ah… thank you. That means a lot to me," replied Almaz, relieved at the honesty he could sense in the strange demon's tone.

"May I ask a question? Are you a believer of chivalry, zam?" she asked suddenly. Seeing Almaz's confused face, she smiled. "I only ask because your companion mentioned you were a hero of sorts, zam."

'_Of sorts? Well, I suppose that's __accurate enough…'_ "Um, well, yes, I try my best to be a hero… I mean, it was because I was trying to defend my friends that I got in this mess, so…" he trailed off. He didn't feel like much of a hero right now, and he definitely wanted to avoid the Overlord topic for a while…

"How wonderful, zam!" replied the ninja enthusiastically, clasping her hands. "So few realise the wonders of chivalry in this day and age! Very well, I have determined your trustworthiness, zam. From this point onwards, consider yourself an honoured guest and friend of my clan!"

'_So quickly?'_ thought Almaz sceptically. "Um, it's my honour. I'm Almaz." He bowed like she had before, trying to be respectful. The strange demon smiled again, bowing in turn.

"And I am Yukimaru," she replied, "High Ninja and an Elder of the Snow Clan, zam. It is my pleasure to welcome you to our proud land, Hero Almaz!"

* * *

_Chapter 7 -end-_

* * *

Varanotes: Check it, we have officially crossed over. About time too.

You see, the story takes place after the Amaz Ending. Ergo, that means it's post-game. And what does post-game mean in Nippon Ichi productions?

Bonus content, like... extra characters!

Yeah, I like taking gameplay mechanics and making them part of the story. I've even made reincarnation a plot point! But that's for a later day...

I remember when I was writing the forest scene I was all 'okay, we get it, they're cold'. Also, I didn't mean for Aria to get up and go find help, it just sort of happened.

Also, please note: Rhodonite Kingdom has a military geared towards combat against demons, and also act as police and royal guards. I did research, but I honestly couldn't wrap my head around what sort of ranking system such an organisation would have had. I probably threw in a bit of everything. What I'm trying to say is Vincent is pretty much second in command to the Royal Guards, the elite force that guards the crown itself. If I screwed up and you know a better way to describe it, be a pal and help me out! Until then, I wouldn't worry about it. It's not vitally important to the story.

I know you have something to say about this chapter, so hit that review button.

See you next time!

-Varanus


	8. Nickel and Veldime

Thanks Nightmare Syndrom, General Generic, Ichigo -usagi Wizu, roxas24, Hefner J and Anonymous for your reviews!

And now for something completely different! Just a heads up, it's been three years since the end of Disgaea 2.

* * *

**Fail to the King!**

_

* * *

Chapter 8__ - Nickel and Veldime

* * *

_

Staring at the desolate waste where Almaz and the others had battled not hours before, Mao tapped his foot impatiently, while Cieg was meditating nearby.

"So… you've got no idea where they went, then?" Mao asked after a moment of irritated silence.

Cieg sighed sadly, shaking his head. "There's a trace there, I can almost grasp it, but… the gate wasn't open long enough to leave a significant mark on our dimension. The summoner was just way too good…"

Mao scowled and began to pace. "Just perfect. A week into his promotion and Almaz disappears. Gotta admit, I expected better from him."

"Uh… um… Isn't this… kind of a good thing?" asked Cieg hesitantly. Mao glared at the mage, who quickly added, "I-I mean, you wanted to be Overlord! If Almaz is gone, that means the position is free! Plus, you don't even have to kill him or anything!"

Mao rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Jeez, doesn't anyone get it? It's not good enough for me to just _replace _Almaz, that'd be easy. I need to _surpass_ him, to prove once and for all that I'm the greatest demon this world has ever known, not some former hero-wannabe."

"But Almaz is human… so… you're already best demon by default…" pondered Cieg aloud. Mao redoubled his glare, making the young mage shrink back in fear.

"Default. Isn't. Good. Enough!" the demon said firmly, resuming his pacing. "Besides! Almaz was turning into a demon throughout the month until I managed to remove his stupid title from my heart somehow. He's got the strength of a demon, but sees himself as human. My theory is it's just his mindset that's keeping him human at this point. Mind over matter, as a spellcaster you should understand that."

"I guess so…" Cieg mumbled.

"You bet so! For example- hello, what have we here?" Mao quickly walked up to a crater to see what had caught his eye. The crater was wide, with deep cracks in it that stemmed from where a massive double-headed axe had fallen in battle. The axe itself was a haunting, harrowing sight to see. It looked like it was held together by shuddering bones, bleached with age and reddened with blood and rust. Air seemed to ripple around the blade edge of the axe, as if the gusts of wind were being shredded merely by passing over the axe's edge.

It positively screamed 'evil'.

"Yoink!" grinned Mao, gripping the axe and yanking it out of the fissure it had carved in the ground.

"Huff… huff… un… unbelievable… such power…" muttered he excitedly. He turned it around in his hand, closely examining the edge and testing the weight of the weapon. Closing his eyes, he felt the mana energy of the axe, greater than any other weapon he had held. This was a weapon of absolute destruction, he knew. It was _amazing_. "Balance; incomparable. Weight; imperceptible. Power; insurmountable… let's test it out!" Mao declared, spinning on his heels and rushing for a huge boulder at the base of one of the large outcrops of rock.

"Rrragh!" he shouted, slamming the axe down in an overhead swing onto the boulder, instantly pulverising it into gravel as if it were a clod of dirt. The edge of the weapon kept cutting, embedding itself in the earth like it was putty, throwing off Mao's balance upon finding his new toy stuck. Gritting his teeth, he heaved the weapon out of it's newest fissure. It loosened suddenly, almost causing Mao to slip backwards. Instead, he altered his grip on the axe and leaped up in the air, slamming the axe down again with his decent. The axe met the ground in an explosive impact, grinding the outcrop into dust and carving out a crater where it once stood.

"Hmm… not bad at all…" grinned Mao, gazing at his new weapon with a gleam in his eye. He turned to Cieg, hefting the axe onto his shoulder.

"Cieg, make sure you keep your ears open for what happened to Almaz," the honour student ordered. "Talk to Big Star or Almaz's other vassals or something. If anything happens…"

Cieg nodded quickly. "I'll contact you, like before. Leave it to me, Lord Mao!"

"Right. Now make me a dimension gate back to the academy. I've got some experiments to run…" grinned Mao manically, tapping his fingers on the axe. With a movement of his wrist, Cieg summoned up a portal of blue light for the Student Leader. Mao stepped through without a second glance, his mind spinning with the mysteries of the weapon he had picked up.

* * *

The sun poking through the curtained windows and the light chirping of the birds slowly roused the young woman from her sleep. _'It's only been a year since the birds showed up, but I cannot seem to imagine a morning without them now…'_ she thought idly as she sat up, her eyes shifting to the crimson-haired young man snoring lightly beside her. Smiling softly, she shook his shoulder to wake him. "It's morning now. Time to get up."

"Nnnuu… five more minutets… 'k, thanks…" he grunted, rolling away from her. While his new position gave the young woman a wonderful view of the toned muscles of his back, she wasn't going to give him any slack. It had worn thin after the first few hundred times.

"You expect a lady like me to wait on you? What sort of vulgar dreams have you been having?" she asked indignantly, shoving him and nearly knocking him off the bed. The young man groaned, all too familiar with where her tirade was going.

"Alright, alright, I'm up! I'm awake!" he said quickly, rolling back around and snaking an arm around her waist. She shot him an unamused look, which he countered with an audacious grin. Sighing, she fell back down into the bed and wrapped her arm around him, returning the embrace.

"Good morning, Rozalin…" he said sleepily.

"Don't you dare fall back asleep, Adell," she warned.

"Why not? Not like I have work today…" Adell said, chuckling softly.

"Oh… " Rozalin frowned, feeling sheepish. They lay there in drowsy silence for a moment, content to bask in their shared moment.

"Roz…" began Adell after a minute. Rozalin craned her head to look at him, curious, so he continued. "…Do you want to talk about your dream?"

She smiled at him and shook her head. "It's alright," she said, resting her head on his shoulder and nestling into his side. "The dreams aren't as bad as they first were. I suppose I'm just… coming to terms with it." She breathed in and sighed deeply.

"Adell…" she murmured softly, looking deep into his eyes. She inched slowly towards him, their faces becoming closer. Much closer…

Adell felt a breath hitch in his throat. "Yeah, Roz…?"

"You smell terrible," she said flatly, her face stoic. Adell stared at her, mouth gaping open in perplexed surprise. Rozalin smirked and rose from the bed before he could say a word. "Honestly, don't you bathe?" she grinned, stretching to shrug the sleepiness from her arms and neck. "Ugh, how horrible, I think your stink rubbed off on me. I'm going to take a bath. I only hope that- ow…" she trailed off, flinching slightly. Adell raised an eyebrow, snapping out of his daze.

"You okay?" he asked. She nodded, sitting back down on the bed, her back facing him.

"Pins and needles," she explained, stretching one of her bat-like wings out and began to massage it. "I seem to have slept on my wing oddly, that's all." Pins and needles along a wing was uncomfortable to the extreme and difficult to ease feeling back into, as one's entire wingspan was frozen by the prickling, numbing sensation, but only massaging the joints and muscle of the wing had any real affect. She frowned, unable to quite reach the most irritating spot no matter how she twisted her arms.

"Here, let me do that for you," Adell said after a moment, scooting over in the bed to sit behind her. She let him take her wing and gently massage it, feeling a jolt of pleasure despite herself. She knew most winged demons had trouble with their wings like she did because they had nobody they could trust not to stab them in the back. Rozalin trusted Adell, though, with all her heart, as frightening as it was to admit. Sometimes she wondered when it had happened. It started two years ago, certainly, but when was the exact moment that trust had appeared? When her dark past had overwhelmed her and he refused to let her be? When they were marching to confront her father, the imposter, at his castle? Or the coliseum tournament? Perhaps it had been from the beginning, after he spoke honestly and gave her his own trust, never taking it back no matter how many times she had trampled over it.

She suppressed a shudder of pleasure as Adell eased the numbness out of her wing. _'Trust can be a great thing,' _she thought with a slight grin, feeling her face redden. Suddenly she was glad Adell couldn't see her face.

"Better?" asked Adell. Rozalin frowned. Was that a smirk she heard in his tone? He was smirking, wasn't he?

"Hmm, somewhat," she replied airily, rising from the bed. "I'm going to take a bath now. Try not to waste the morning, would you?"

Adell hid a grin. _'Uh oh, she's embarrassed…' _"Hey, Roz?" he called after her. She paused at the door and looked back. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly, suddenly finding himself shy. "Since I don't have work or anything, do you… do you want to do something today?"

Rozalin gazed at him for a moment, then smiled. "I'd like that," she said softly, quickly leaving the room before her face could become any redder.

* * *

Veldime was a world which was only beginning to recover from the curse it had been trapped under for nearly two decades. This curse had transformed the world into a miniature Netherworld and had lured many true demons to carve lairs into the country side, which proved very convenient for demon hunters after the curse was lifted from the world- simply take a short walk from any village or town and you were certain to come across a pit of depravity and evil to purge!

It also proved very convenient to Cinos, who quickly divined a suitable ruined mansion to serve as a base of operations. Teleporting there, he appraised it with a critical eye. It had a few cosmetic damages, but nothing structural, as well as a wide entrance hall. It would serve. Still, the sorcerer couldn't help but think the mansion would be better with a bit less ominous shadowing.

"Stop right there, you interloper!" yelled a voice from the depths, booming out of the darkness. Cinos rolled his eyes. So _that's _what the ominous shadowing was for.

A dark figure emerged from the shadowed halls, trailed by hulking figures of re-animated dragon bones. Around him, corpses began to drag themselves into the light, groaning in anguish. Cinos gave a bored glance behind him to confirm that, yes, he was surrounded by a horde of undead monsters.

"Hmhmhm… Bonjour, monsieur… I zee you have blundered your way into my 'umble abode," said the figure, a well dressed demon with blond hair. "Eef you were a charming lady, mebee I vould 'ave spared you. But for your trespassing, I am forced to knock ze stuffing out of you!"

The zombies leapt for the sorcerer and he sighed, casting his spell almost lazily.

"Omega Fire."

Heat and magic exploded in the air around him as a demon of flames and ash was summoned into existence. Wasting no time, it stretched out its charred limbs and swiped it's molten claws at the zombies, who were burnt to a crisp in the blazing fire that trailed after the creature. The gigantic demon craned its neck around and was enraged by the number of monsters in his vicinity that weren't reduced to charcoal. It roared, a strange, gasping bellow, and the entire entrance hall exploded into flames.

Suddenly, it was over, as the demon disappeared and silence fell in the hall. Cinos noted that his spell had destroyed the ceiling of the mansion hall in the final explosion, allowing light into the structure. Two birds with one freakish fire demon.

"I… I shall just be leaving then… oui?" said the demon sheepishly, quickly heading for the door. Cinos impassively watched him leave before heading deeper into the mansion, searching for a library room.

Quickly locating the somewhat modest library, he cleared a space on a large table with a simple Wind spell and summoned Phoenix's spear in hand. Focusing his magic for the spell, the spear glowed with a yellow aura and Phoenix re-materialised, softly landing on the table. She groaned softly as she came to, reaching out to nurse her injuries. Cinos focused his energy for a moment before casting a powerful healing spell, replenishing her energy and stitching up any injuries his quick treatment in the arctic forest did not.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," he said sardonically, earning him a surprised look from the disoriented Valkyrie.

"Ah, looks that way…" she muttered absently before realising something and turning to glare at him. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she spat angrily. "Why the hell didn't you help in the fight?"

"I'm guessing you're ignoring the fact that I pulled you from a near-death experience?" asked Cinos sarcastically. Seeing her glare, he sighed. "After you and Sienna were taken down, I tricked the human Overlord into following me through the gate, along with his ninja vassal and Big Star's samurai. The other side of the gate was dark and snowy. They never saw my ambush. They're dead."

Phoenix gritted her teeth and slammed her fist down on the table in frustration. "Damn it! How did that… that _human-_"

Cinos rolled his eyes. "That's simple. You attacked head on and he surprised you." He earned another glare from the Valkyrie.

"That was a rhetorical question, you asshole," she snarled.

"Don't care. It's a valid lesson," replied Cinos, turning away and summoning his mana energies to organise the cluttered library. "Acting chaotically is one thing, but what you did was just stupid. Never attack an enemy's front. The back is easier to stab. Act quickly, precisely and devastatingly. Hurt them in every way possible at once- Physically, mentally, tactically, emotionally. Hold nothing back. That's how a chaotic warrior like you should fight. If you simply fight for the sake of blind, inefficient destruction, you'll end up just like Sienna."

"What happened to Sienna?"

"He's dead. His body crumbled when I tried to grab it."

"What?" exclaimed Phoenix, pushing herself off the table quickly and grabbing Cinos' robe, dragging him around to face her. "That's a load of crap and you know it! What happened?"

Cinos shrugged. "I'm guessing he figured his time was up and shoved his soul into his axe. Maybe his soul never left in the first place and he was just possessing a puppet, which crumbled when he lost his axe."

"So where is his axe?"

"I forgot to pick it up," he shrugged. "Heat of battle and all. It happens."

"You forgot? What kind of…" Phoenix began before stopping, having realised something. She glared at the sorcerer suspiciously. "No. You're not stupid. You did that on purpose. What are you playing at, Cinos?"

Cinos cocked his head to the side, feigning ignorance. "You think I'm playing around? Certainly not. It's pretty troublesome that his _cursed_ axe was left behind after all. Why, what if some demon picks it up? Or worse, that brat, Mao? Tell me, what would happen?"

Phoenix's eyes grew wide in realisation. "Cinos, you manipulative _bastard. _You were planning on leaving Sienna behind in the first place, weren't you?"

"Mayhem is all he's good for, at least this way it's put to use," replied Cinos, neither denying nor admitting it. "You, however, have potential far beyond him. It's the reason I maintained contact with you even after the others wandered off."

A soft blush spread across Phoenix's face and she loosened her grip on the sorcerer's robes, an innocent shyness gracing her features. "That's not… the only reason though…" She leaned forward, cupping his face in her palm and looking deep into his crimson eyes. "…Am I right?"

"Stop doing that." Cinos deadpanned, giving her a blank look.

Phoenix pushed the sorcerer away and chuckled slyly. "Admit it, I fooled you for a second," she said, grinning.

"You didn't. Bonus points for the blush though, that was new." Cinos replied, smoothing out the creases in his dirty robes in a bored manner. "But you're right. There was another reason."

"Eh?"

"You are the best sensor and tracker out of all of us."

"Oh."

"I'm busy setting off plans to distract Rhodonite and the Academy from our true target," Cinos continued. "But if we really wish to fracture this cycle they have maintained for so long, we need The Encompasser to lead the way. You need to track down where…"

"Etem," supplied a grinning Phoenix.

"Yes, him," Cinos rolled his eyes. "Track him down. Once we get his co-operation, the rest will be simple."

Phoenix smirked and sauntered across the cluttered study area, collapsing into a reclined sofa. Stretching out like a cat until she was comfortable, she closed her eyes and cleared her mind.

"_That's _you meditative position?" asked Cinos sceptically.

"_Trying_ to concentrate now, thanks," Phoenix shot back, reaching out with her minds eye. After a moment of visualising the mana signature of her ally, she found it easily. "Got it. Moron isn't even bothering to mask himself. It looks like he didn't miss your call, he just ignored it."

"Wonderful. Are we seriously the only ones who honour the pact?" said Cinos with a sigh, massaging his temples. "Whatever. You have his location?"

"Yup, he's near small town in the centre of the continent. Wait…" she trailed off.

"What now?"

"There's… a really weird presence there too… No idea what it is…" She frowned, unsettled.

"We'll ignore it for now. Just get ready. We'll leave soon," said Cinos, marching out of the room to survey their new base of operations.

Phoenix ignored his departure, trying to focus back on the presence she had felt. She didn't want to just dismiss it. Something about it was… familiar…

* * *

A shadow crept across the countryside of Holt Village. Where it stepped, grass wilted. What it touched was marred by rust.

And it could taste power ahead.

If someone were to see it, they would believe it to be a mindless horror seeking a challenge.

But it was far from mindless. It desired… amusement.

And so, it waited.

* * *

In the courtyard in front of his house, Adell wound up the rest of his morning training.

"Two-hundred and ninety-nine... Three hundred!"

Adell breathed a sigh of relief before easing himself from his one handed push ups. Pushing himself up from the ground, he flexed his arms and ran through a kata as a cool-down exercise. It felt good to train, to keep himself sharp and prepared. Of course, it had been months since anyone had needed the services of a demon hunter, but that was beside the point. He might only be doing farmyard chores at the moment, but it was still important to stay on guard.

At least, that's what Adell kept telling himself. The truth, he hated to admit, was that he was bored. He didn't want to spend the peace he had fought for to be spent farming! Something inside of him yearned to wander the world, to challenge new obstacles and fight new opponents. He knew he had the words to convince Rozalin to come with him, but every time he meant to speak up, something else inside of him silenced him.

Adell sighed. Maybe Rozalin was right, that he was a battle maniac. But he couldn't help but think about how long it had been since he had boxed anyone besides his shadow.

Letting off a yell laced with his pent up frustration, Adell leapt into a flying double kick, struck an imagined foe and executed a perfect landing. Adell grinned to himself. Okay, he hadn't meant to get so serious about a cool-down exercise but it still felt good to know he hadn't lost his edge. Plus, the kick _was_ pretty cool.

Apparently someone else thought so to, as Adell could here someone clapping their hands. He glanced back to his house, to see if Taro or Hanako were watching. Seeing nothing, he glanced over at the fence surrounding the courtyard.

A man wearing a loose, earthy brown and green jacket was standing there, applauding Adell's little performance. He had long, bushy white hair that was pulled away from his eyes in a ponytail. He was wearing heavy shackles on each wrist and was grinning from pointed ear to ear, genuinely impressed. Adell could see sharp canines in that grin, and he matched it with a grin of his own- his spectator was a demon, a Sinner by the look of it. Adell had never really gotten why they were called Sinners in the first place. The ones he had met had been unquestionably decent guys. Best of all, they were great fighters.

"Nice kick! You're pretty damn good!" called the demon. Adell laughed sheepishly.

"Aha, thanks. Had to do a lot of fighting back in the days of the curse," said the teen, shrugging.

"Pretty quiet nowadays though," said the demon, his grin twisting somewhat. That was Adell's only warning before the mysterious demon hopped over the fence and soared at him in a spinning kick. Adell's quick reactions saved him as he dropped into a solid stance and blocked the kick to his neck with a strong guard.

His attack interrupted, the demon lightly touched his free leg on the ground to steady himself, but Adell quickly struck that leg's knee in a spot just above the kneecap. The demon grunted in surprise as his leg crumpled underneath him and Adell spun his other leg around in a roundhouse kick before the newcomer could recover.

To his shock, his kick was caught, the demon using his arms to cushion the blow and pin his foot down. Adell coiled himself like a spring and shot out violently, sending both himself and the demon flying to opposite sides of the courtyard.

"Heh, you _are_ good," said the demon, brushing himself off. Seeing Adell's glare, he shrugged. "Sorry about that, couldn't resist testing you."

"You could have killed me." said the demon hunter, not dropping his glare.

"Killed you with one kick?" the demon asked skeptically. He chuckled, shaking his head. "No way. Maybe someone else, but I could tell. You're better than that. A thousand times better. What do they call you, kid?"

"Adell," replied the teen, keeping his guard up.

"No big intro speech? Nice…" said the demon approvingly. "Normally I'd match an opponent's rant with one of my own, but I'm guessing you're a man of simple tastes. I can appreciate that. As for my name, well, they call me lots of things. Not all of them are nice… or particularly flattering… but my friends call me Tav," the demon grinned, dropping back into his loose stance. "So, do you want to spar or not? Fair and square this time."

Adell rubbed his chin in contemplation. "Well... I suppose I could do with a bit more exercise." he said, before flying at his opponent and lashing out with a mighty kick. Even though he blocked it, the demon was forced back from the power in the blow, his feet sliding in the dirt.

"Now THAT was a kick!" laughed Tav, pushing back Adell. The teen quickly pushed the offensive, aiming several quick punches to the demon's gut and neck. Tav blocked and tried to get some space, but Adell closed the distance between them and continued to launch a flurry of jabs, strikes and kicks, determined to test his opponent's abilities. They matched each other punch for punch, fists rocketing at each other with blinding speed.

Adell halted the assault for a moment to launch a triple strike combo, which the Sinner dodged, turning to the side and deflecting the strikes with his forearm, twisting his arm to catch Adell's wrist in his hand. Adell quickly whipped his wrist in a circle to break the demon's grip while striking out with his leg in a low kick.

The newcomer expected the blow, however, hopping above the kick and planting both feet into Adell's chest in a pulverizing kick, sending the young man flying across the courtyard and hitting the wall of the house, hard.

Inside the house, the windows rattled from the impact, startling the rest of the family. Taro and Hanako sniggered to each other from across the breakfast table and their mother sighed over her coffee. "Rozalin, can you go out back and shoot Adell or something?" she asked sweetly, causing the demon princess to raise an eyebrow. "I've warned him before about kicking the house. Ruins the plastering."

Rozalin sighed and walked out through the corridor. _'Honestly, it isn't as if he hasn't been told otherwise…' _she thought, reaching the door to the courtyard and pushing it open. "Adell, some of us are trying to enjoy a quiet morning-" She stopped, seeing Adell pushing himself off the dirt and the strange demon in a fighting stance. She immediately summoned her pistol and took aim, but Adell waved her down.

"Relax, relax, it's just a friendly little sparring match!" he said, wincing slightly while he rubbed his head. Rozalin raised her eyebrow skeptically, but before she could ask his criteria for 'friendly', Adell's mom popped her head out the door, an irritated look on her face.

"How long does it take you to shoot- oh, hello, do we have company?" she said, her demeanor switching effortlessly upon seeing the Sinner.

"No, no, I was just leaving," Tav replied, grinning at the scene. "I'm actually in a hurry, I just wanted to know where the dimension gate was."

"But instead you try to kick my head off," said Adell, nursing the growing lump on his head. Tav had the decency to look sheepish, so Adell chuckled. "Whatever, it was a good fight. I'll show you where the gate is. Mom, could you call the healer, tell her I'll be over there in a bit?"

"Speaking of calls, Yukimaru's on the phone," replied his mother, tossing him the handheld. Rozalin sighed and plucked it from his hand.

"Yukimaru, this is a surprise!" she answered, motioning for Adell to go. Adell grinned and jumped the fence, the Sinner following suit.

"Gate's just this way," Adell explained as they walked onto the main street. "It used to be closer, by the pond there, but the town's grown a lot since everyone started to revert back into humans. It's just off the main square now."

"Huh. Must have just missed it," muttered Tav, earning an amused snort from Adell. They walked for a moment in silence, until he broke it again. "So, the blond cutie. Didn't look related to you. Is she your girlfriend?"

Adell gave him the patented wary-boyfriend look. Two parts curious bewilderment, three parts deep suspicion and one part sheepish pride. It was no secret to the village that he and Rozalin were in a relationship, but it felt a bit weird for a complete stranger to pick up on it. "Yeah, why? It's not like it's rare to see demons living with humans around these parts."

Tav chuckled, recognizing the look. "Relax, it's nothing like that. She just reminded me of someone I once knew, that's all."

"Oh yeah? Your own girlfriend?" asked Adell, curious despite himself.

"Demons don't usually _have_ boyfriends and girlfriends, if you catch my drift," replied the Sinner, grinning as the teen became suddenly flustered. His smile became sad, however, as he continued. "But yeah, something like that. Until she was killed…"

Adell slowed down. "I'm sorry… for your loss," he said, and meant it. The demon nodded somberly, seeming to accept it.

They rounded the corner in silence and came out at the new town square, already bustling with activity even in the early morning. Across the square a bright light shone, marking the location of the dimension gate.

"Ah, there we go!" said the Sinner cheerfully. Adell eyed him, unsure of what to say.

"Where are you going next?" he finally asked.

"To wherever my quest takes me," replied Tav grimly. "I'm tracking down my friends' killer. He's carrying a scrap of her soul with him, and until I slay him she will never know peace. All I know is here's here in Veldime somewhere, keeping his head down and pretending to be dead."

"Who was he?" Adell asked, wondering if there was anything he could help with. His heart froze with the Sinner's next words.

"Oh, I'm sure you've heard of him around here. Her killer was Overlord Zenon."

* * *

Glancing out of the corner of his eye at the sleeping Sapphire, Lt Vincent couldn't help but feel uneasy at the sight of the crown princess using a demon as a pillow. They had been moving onwards to the capital with as much speed as possible, but the princess slept soundly throughout the journey, undisturbed by the roar of the engines and the rocky trail.

Part of him couldn't really blame the princess for her obvious exhaustion- she had just spent a month in the Netherworld, a pit of depravity and evil that would corrupt any but the most pure-hearted, something Vincent was all too familiar with. But seeing her snuggle up to that… that _thing…_Vincent wasn't entirely certain what kind of purity the princess' heart held.

The dog-demon lifted its head and looked at Vincent, as if sensing his thoughts. Who knows? Maybe it did. It acted dumb, but for all he knew it could be sentient. Those were the worst kind of demon, Vincent thought bitterly. They were organized and shrewd. Feral demons, they only killed for food. Vincent could hardly begrudge them that, they were just freakish animals. But intelligent demons… they killed for fun. Vincent had seen them plenty of times. Burning down villages, playing catch with innocent citizens. Once, he had seen one of those very wolves skewer a girl with its horn and dash away, her innards trailing behind it like a Mayday ribbon.

By God, if the Queen hadn't been there to save her, Vincent didn't know what he would have done…

And now, what kind of messed up irony was this? The late Queen's daughter, returning from her unexplained absence, emerging from the Netherworld itself with a hellhound at her feet. 'Found him as a pup', indeed! Vincent wouldn't have been surprised if Sapphire had slaughtered the entire pack herself, only sparing that cub because it seemed '_cutesy_'.

Vincent shook his head violently. _'Stop that. Don't think like that. She's the princess, the Queen's daughter. Respect her memory, if nothing else.'_

But glancing at that demon, the thoughts kept rolling into the forefront of his mind, thoughts that suggested he was the _only_ one who respected her memory. This was going to be a long trip…

Vincent reached for the minibar. _'I really need a drink…'_

_

* * *

_

Adell froze in shock, staring at Tav with wide eyes. He was… he was hunting _Rozalin?_ "Zenon? But… that was a hoax!" he said, quickly covering his surprise. "Zenon died years ago!"

The sinner shook his head solemnly, lowering his voice so the crowd around them wouldn't hear. "I hate to break it to you, but that's not the case. Zenon's alive. I can feel it, and he's somewhere in Veldime. If he were dead, I wouldn't be able to sense my friend's soul lingering in the world." He paused, then leveled a curious look at Adell. "Wait…" he said slowly, piecing something together in his mind. "If Zenon was just a hoax, why did you think he was dead?"

Adell realized his mistake and cursed inwardly. "I… the curse was lifted, so…"

"You're not a good liar," said the demon, cutting him off. "Seriously, why did you think he was dead? Everyone else I spoke to thought it was just a con by that Dark Hero guy. Unless…" Tav's eyes widened in realization and he gaped open-mouthed at Adell. "Oh… I see… You… You faced Zenon, didn't you?"

Adell tried to keep the shock and panic from his face. "What? You're jumping to conclusions! There's no way I could-"

"Sure you could, you were fast enough to keep up with me, after all. Hmm… So you faced Zenon and defeated him," said Tav offhandedly, seemingly too deep in thought to care about Adell's protests. "He drops the curse and fakes his death... do you know what this means?" He grabbed Adell by his tie and dragged him forwards, looking him straight in the eye with an ecstatic grin on his face. "It means he can be beaten! It means he can be killed!"

Adell, unable to think of a response to throw him off Zenon's scent, remained quiet. The demon seemed to sense the hunter's worry, but mistook it for apprehension. "What's the matter?"

"I have people I need to protect," came Adell's reply.

"Don't worry, even if I am killed by Zenon, I'll make it clear I found him with my own power," Tav assured him, stepping away and heading for the gateway. "This won't come back to haunt you."

'_Somehow I doubt that…'_ thought Adell, grinding his teeth in apprehension, watching the demon leave. The main square's clock tower began to sound, the jolly peals of the new bells signaling the official opening of the morning market. Watching the crowds of people and traffic begin to swell, Adell uneasily weighed up his options. None of them looked very good. First things first though…

He rushed through the crowd after the demon, hoping to catch him before he could get through the gate. Adell didn't think he could dissuade him into backing out of his quest, but he could get an idea on where he was headed next. With that in mind, he continued to slide between the early morning bustle of the village. Unfortunately, gateway traffic was light and Adell, finally breaking through the crowd, spotted the strange Sinner passing through the gate, fading into light. Adell bit down a swear and rushed to the gate attendant, Friday, before another traveler could speak to her.

"Friday!" Adell called, startling the young demon. Friday was a bit of an oddity as demons went, seemingly content with remaining in the relatively quiet Holt Village to manage their dimension gate rather than move on to more violent pastures like most of the other pure-blood demons that had occupied Veldime under the fake Zenon's curse. As the curse had lifted and the memories of the altered humans in Veldime began to return, she remained a friendly face in those… disorienting times.

"Adell! It's been a while, hasn't it?" said Friday, giving him a confused smile. Upon noticing his expression, she began to worry. "What's wrong?"

"That last demon who went through the portal, the Sinner? Where did he go?" Adell asked desperately.

"I- I'm not really supposed to…" she began, but was unable to face the pleading look in Adell's eyes. She fidgeted anxiously. "He… He's just at the fields on the edge of town. He said he wanted a quiet place to think, so I sent him there."

"Do you know if he'll be back?" asked Adell. Friday shook her head apologetically. "Okay, that's fine. Please tell me if he takes any more gates today. It's really important. Life or death, possibly."

Friday nodded hesitantly, earning a smile from Adell before he turned and ran back into the crowd, moving as close to a full sprint as possible back to his own house. Leaping the courtyard fence and skidding to a halt by the back door, he spotted Rozalin sitting on her chair in the garden, still on the phone.

"Oh, Adell is back," she said to the caller. "Adell! Yukimaru is going to pay us a visit today..." she said, trailing off when she saw his face. Adell mentally scowled at himself. Was he really so easy to read today?

"Is she still on the phone? It's urgent," he said hastily. Rozalin nodded, holding out the cell to him.

"Adell, what's the matter?" she asked as he placed the phone to his ear.

"Sir Adell, it's been a while, zam!" came the kunoichi's cheerful voice. He hated that he was going to put such a damper on that sunny mood.

"Yukimaru, there's an emergency here, we need you here, as fast as you can, okay?" he said hastily.

"What's wrong?" asked both Yukimaru and Rozalin, identical tones of worry in their voices.

"Someone's hunting Zenon. The real Zenon. And I… I think he's capable of finding exactly that," answered Adell, cutting straight to the heart of the problem. He heard Yukimaru gasp and launch several questions and worries, but all he could see was Rozalin. Her face was frozen in her best stony mask, but the widening corners of her eyes and the slight shaking in her hands beside her hips told Adell all he needed to know about Rozalin's horror at the prospect of being discovered, of being _awakened._ She caught his eyes and he returned her empty stare with one filled with burning determination.

'_Don't worry. I made a promise, remember?' _said Adell's glare._ 'I will protect you, no matter what.'_

_

* * *

_

Tav emerged from the gate, only a short distance from the village. Looking back at the town, he grinned. It'd be fun to return once he defeated Zenon. He owed that strange human a rematch and was eager to test the extent of his strength. He had been able to keep up with his speed so well, and not many could claim to do the same. It had been so long since he had enjoyed a proper challenge...

Then again, it wouldn't do to lose sight of his goal. He wouldn't stop until he defeated Zenon. Her soul could not find peace until then. This was the least he could do, for failing to protect her, twenty years ago...

Tav snapped out of his reprieve, looking around at the scenery. That archer at the dimension gate was right, this was a _great_ place to think! Maybe that was why they called it 'reflection pond'?

Well, it was an excellent place to meditate regardless. Spotting a nice shaded spot under a tree near a stream feeding the pool, Tav lightly leapt for the spot.

Suddenly, he felt a flare of energy target him, accompanied by a surge of killing intent. Twisting in midair to dodge, Tav felt a bolt of scorching energy nearly graze him, heat like a blast-furnace's exhaust scalding his side. Grunting, he landed, seeing the blast of energy, some kind of plasma bolt, had turned his prospective meditation spot into a smoking crater of glazed dirt. He turned, casually, to face his opponent. "And just who, or what, are you?"

An excellent question. He- _it_ was bizarre. It was a humanoid demon clad head to toe in armored plating, dark metal armor which was rusted and covered with blackened corruption, cracks in the armor exposing the dimly glowing body of the demon beneath. One of its huge gauntlets was extended, but instead of a hand there was a glowing barrel, like the exhaust of some spacecraft. At first glance it appeared to be a Majin demon, or a Heavy knight, but its huge gauntlets and hands that flared with energy made it seem more like an Ifrit, an ancient form of fire demon. But these demons were not native to Veldime...

"You! Were you sent by Zenon? Has he heard about my journey?" Tav demanded. The mysterious demon gave no reply, not even to launch another attack.

"Are you a servant of Zenon, or a demon also searching for him?" Again, he was met with silence.

"Why did you attack me, if you weren't sent by him?" Tav asked with wary curiosity.

"None shall pass," answered the armored demon, its voice echoing from its helmet.

"None shall pass where? It's a pond," said the Sinner testily.

"None shall pass," the demon repeated, its arm glowing. From its armored gauntlet it blasted another shot of energy at him, white hot like a miniature comet crashing down on its target. Tav stood his ground this time and struck the plasma blast with a straight punch head on, scattering it into hot sparks.

"…Fine. If that's how you want it…" muttered the Sinner, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth despite himself. It looks like he could have a proper challenge after all…

* * *

_Chapter 9 -end-_

* * *

Varanotes: Haha, the only people who would work with Tink are total deadbeats. Yes, that was the joke.

Next chapter will be a bit delayed, so apologies in advance.

You know, I really enjoy writing Cinos and Phoenix's banter. They're both _horrible_ people, but they've got a good rapport going, even if Cinos will never acknowledge it.

Also, if you care about swearing... heads up? Because Phoenix has somehow developed quite a vocabulary in some upcoming chapters. She's alone in that regard though, so no worries.

You know how it goes, hit that review button!

See ya,

-Varanus


	9. The Devil Hero's Own Luck

Sorry about the delay! Thanks for your reviews, NightmareSyndrom, Anonymous, Vecrec, GeneralGeneric and Hefner J! Hope you enjoy this next chapter!

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**Fail to the King!**

_

* * *

Chapter 9 – The Devil-Hero's Own Luck

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_

Sitting across from the imposing leader of the Snow Tribe, Almaz desperately tried to look professional. Kneeling in seiza style, copied from Aria, he wondered if the impassive demon was in as much pain as he was in right now- who knew sitting on your own feet could be so excruciating? Apparently it didn't bother the Elder, so Almaz just gritted his teeth and, trying to ignore the foreboding numbness spreading through his legs, explained his story, leaving out the fact that he was an Overlord- it was probably best to keep that quiet, no matter how nice they seemed…

"You are quite fortunate that portal lead to out lands," said the Elder when Almaz had finished. "No doubt the demon wished to trap you in the hostile environment, not knowing of the existence of our clan. Be at ease, you are our guests here."

"Thanks for your hospitality," said Almaz, trying to wipe the pained look off his face. Then again, the ninja's eyes were grey and faded- perhaps he was blind? If that were the case, he probably wouldn't notice Almaz's discomfort after all…

"…You can stop sitting so formally if you wish," said the ninja after a moment of hesitation. Almaz fought the urge to sigh dejectedly, moving to a cross-legged position. Well, there went his semblance of a professional appearance.

"Who are you, anyway?" asked Almaz. "I mean, I really appreciate you helping us, but for all you knew we could have been enemies."

The Elder inclined his head, accepting his point. "True, but we are not defenseless against the attacks of three unconscious, half-dead individuals," he said wryly. With a miniscule grin at Almaz's flustered reaction, he continued. "I am Fubuki, the first Elder Ninja of this village, Snow Melody." He stood up and opened the sliding panel that made up one of the walls, opening the room to the chilly winter scene outside. The blizzard had cleared up and Almaz could only see a thick blanket of snow covering the land. Here and there the snow had fallen, revealing the thick forest around them to be one of bamboo. "As my sister Yukimaru has told you, we are the Snow Clan. For our clan's entire history we have guarded these beautiful lands of the frozen north. When we sensed that gateway's energies, we had no choice but to leap into action, lest another catastrophe like Zenon's invasion were to occur."

He turned his face to Almaz, smiling faintly. "As for why we helped you… let's simply say we have learned to understand the importance of an extended hand of friendship. At the cusp of our clan's greatest crisis, we were extended one. Who are we to deny it to another?"

Almaz silently contemplated this. _'Is he saying he wanted to be allies? Or maybe he was just waiving the need for repayment…'_ As he thought about it, the younger demon from before, Yukimaru emerged from one of the snow covered huts and ran lightly towards them. Almaz noticed that her feet barely left marks in the fresh snow. It was so soft and high, Almaz had needed to practically dig a trench just to reach the Elder's quarters for this meeting, but the blue-eyed kunoichi seemed to skip on the frozen dust without even paying attention. It was strange the village was so small if the ninjas were so skilled, since it must be excellent stealth training to walk so softly, he realized. Perhaps it had something to do with the crisis Fubuki had mentioned.

"Ah, good morning Almaz," greeted Yukimaru when she spotted him, hopping onto the wooden walkway and bowing politely. "Have you recovered well?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks to you," Almaz replied, "It's Aria I'm worried about. Has she woken yet?"

"Not yet, zam, but do not worry. We of the Snow Clan are experts at healing these ice-related injuries. They _are_ our specialty after all, zam."

Almaz chuckled nervously, reminding himself that his hosts were demon ninja, after all. "Still, as soon as we can get her to a healer, the better, right?"

"It might be sooner than you think," she said, frowning solemnly. "If I may borrow Fubuki for a moment…"

"What is the matter? I thought your heart was set on giving them a tour?" asked Fubuki, that tiny wry smile on his face again. Yukimaru returned the smile.

"What, a tour of the snow? Only a fellow Snow Clan member could appreciate that kind of tour, zam. Besides, something has come up in Holt Village, so I'd like to leave immediately, zam."

"I see…" said Fubuki, sobering up. He looked over at Almaz and bowed respectfully. "If you wish, go ready your vassal for travel. I'll have an attendant connect to the gate." Almaz mimicked his bow in thanks before quickly heading off into the snow. As soon as the young hero was out of earshot, the blind ninja inclined his head towards his sister. "What exactly has occurred in Holt?" he asked, concerned over the younger ninja's agitation.

"Rozalin may be in danger," explained Yukimaru grimly. "Somebody is hunting the true Zenon, zam."

Fubuki nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. Any threat to their lost sister, no matter how great or small, demanded their full attention. It was Yukimaru's obligation, and his penance.

* * *

Almaz gingerly opened the sliding panel to the room Aria was resting in, tiptoeing quietly in. His eyes fell on the mat where she lay, bandaged heavily. Part of him had hoped she would have woken by now, but he only had himself to blame. Sitting on a cushion beside her, he stared at his battered vassal, trying to figure out how he had failed so miserably.

'_I'm an idiot, a useless idiot,'_ he thought, sighing. He tried to ignore his self-pitying thoughts, but could not shake the air of gloom around him. _'Why is it that everything is blowing up in my face lately…?'_

Was being a hero worth it? If this was the reward, this sight of one of his few friends and allies left battered and beaten into a coma, was being a hero really worth it? Or maybe he just wasn't good enough. Too stupid to see through a trap his enemy had created, too weak to stop his friend from getting injured, almost killed… _"Not up to scratch, Almaz. Not that I expected anything else…"_ the voices from his memories echoed, taunting him.

And they were right. When he tried to stop Mao, his friend, from making a mistake he knew he would regret, Almaz was rewarded with a crown too heavy for him to carry alone. And yet, he had been left alone, abandoned by his friends until Aria had offered to help him.

"I'm sorry Aria…" Almaz said softly to his sleeping vassal. "I'm this happened because I was such an idiot. Jericho was right, I'm not Overlord material. I never would have even survived the first day if you hadn't helped me…" He groaned miserably, covering his face with his hands and sagging down. "Who am I kidding? You haven't just been helping me, you've been carrying me this whole time. If you hadn't shown up, I'd probably still be catatonic with self-pity back at the Overlord's throne. I'm too weak… I couldn't have gotten up by myself…"

"Why not?" came a quiet voice. Almaz gaped and looked up, meeting Aria's red, un-bandaged eye, half-lidded in tiredness. Before he could launch into flustered apologies, her cracked voice repeated her question. "Why not?"

"B-because…" Almaz stuttered, his mouth flapped uselessly. "Because I'm too weak… Everybody left…" he sighed, slipping into melancholy again. "I thought… I thought I was more important to everybody than that…"

"You are important to them…" Aria insisted, her voice faint. It sounded nothing like her usual voice. It was weak and fluttering, barely a whisper.

"Then why?" Almaz said, becoming angry. Not at Aria, but at himself and the memory of the battle that day. "Why did they just abandon me? I didn't even want to be Overlord, couldn't they see that? Why didn't anyone care that-" He caught himself, looking sad and apologetic to Aria. "Sorry… you, of all people, don't deserve that…"

The kunoichi stared at him blankly for a moment, then reached out and took the hem of his sleeve in her bandaged hand. "That day… I didn't return because I was worried about you… I was ordered to check up on you… But…" she said, slowly and quietly. Almaz leaned closer to hear her. "You convinced me… that you could be a good Overlord … so I stayed…"

"Thank you," said Almaz, smiling slightly.

"Don't thank me… just don't give up… even a demon has to have hope, right?" She tried to grin again. "I guess… I'm hoping you'll be a good Overlord. I'm sure… I'm sure everyone else thinks the same… probably for longer than I did…"

She sighed and cleared her throat, trying to wake up her vocal chords from their apparent slumber. Almaz waited patiently for her, and when she spoke again, her voice was stronger, still wavy but more like its old self.

"Before… I didn't know why Lord Mao… and everybody seemed to give a crap… no offence, Lord Almaz, but you were a wimp…" Almaz frowned slightly at the critique, causing Aria to grin slightly before she continued. "But... seeing you fight Aurum and… and taking up the title to fight off the invasion... I think I understand a bit…" She clammed up, fighting back a cough. "They… they do care… it was just a rough moment for everyone…"

Almaz was silent, considering her words. If he was honest with himself, he had to admit she could be right. He had been so wrapped up in pitying himself over the last few days, he hadn't even thought about how his friends must have felt.

Mao was always trying to succeed his father as Overlord- how terrible must it have been when another human Hero had been given the title? Even worse, a Hero who the demon had grown to trust, despite his protests to the contrary. Almaz had practically stolen Mao's birthright that day. Sure, he hadn't meant to, but Mao was never the most rational of people. But maybe he hadn't seen it as a betrayal, and maybe he had actually been helping Almaz all along… the Dean's son _had_ helped him during the invasion… Almaz had been too preoccupied to second guess his friend at the time, but thinking about it now, it just didn't make sense…

Mr. Champloo had made it quite clear that figured Almaz would be fine without his help. He trusted Almaz. Was Almaz letting that trust down by wallowing in his self-pity?

Rasberyl? She had always encouraged Almaz and had loved to talk to him about being a hero, which he had happily obliged, despite her… interesting views towards the subject. He had seen her, Kyoko and Asuka as the first friendly faces during the early days of his time in the academy, one of the first demons who convinced him that they weren't all enemies. Coming from a highly demon phobic society, it was a true paradigm shift and one reason why he was even able to befriend Mao. But they saw him slowly turn into a demon, become trapped in the Netherworld and die because of it, just because he had lost his home-made hero title. Could it be that they just couldn't bear to see what would happen to him with the title of Overlord?

And Sapphire… could she be the same? Was she scared that she would have lost him again? He _knew _she cared, even if he wasn't always brave enough to let himself admit it. She had cried when he had come back to life. Was he really going to betray that care by believing otherwise? Was he really so weak that he couldn't accept that she, the brave and beautiful princess he had admired for so long, could be just be feeling as scared and alone as him right now?

"I want to believe in them…" said Almaz slowly, wrestling with his thoughts. He paused, swallowing heavily, as Aria looked up at him expectantly. He gritted his teeth, his mind swarming with thoughts of his friends. "I want to believe they're my friends…that they care for me…"

Rasberyl helping him hide out from Mao's experiments. Doing press-ups over a hot stove as Mr. Champloo shouted encouragements at him. Arguing with Mao about which anime had better heroes, tossing comics, teacups and, once, a Prinny at each other. Ambling down the pathways of Evil Academy beside Sapphire, chatting away about the Netherworld while her mystic wolf, Cyprus, trailed behind them.

Almaz realized he already had made his decision. "I want to believe… so I will. I'll believe in them."

"So what are you going to do… Lord Almaz?" asked Aria, with a slight smile that bordered on an expectant grin, despite the state she was in.

"I… I'm going to get you to a proper healer," answered Almaz, grinning apologetically at his bedridden vassal. "I mean, sheesh, here you are dealing with my problems while you're still recovering. How pathetic must I look, huh?"

"Oh, this? This is nothing… I can barely feel a thing," replied Aria, shrugging awkwardly.

"That's… probably the anesthesia…" said Almaz hesitantly. Aria blinked lazily, causing the young Hero to squirm awkwardly. "Yeah, definitely the anesthesia… you should probably get some rest, we'll be leaving soon."

"Yessir…" Aria yawned, closing her eyes. Almaz turned to leave when Aria spoke up again, barely loud enough to hear. "If you need someone to complain to… I'll be right there… I'm your vassal, after all… I'm here to support you…"

Almaz went very quiet. "Thank you…" he said shakily, after a moment of silence.

Aria coughed and turned over in her mat. "Feh… all this delinquent stuff is rubbing off on me…"

Almaz smiled, appreciating the sentiment, and left the room, sliding the door shut behind him. Looking around the snow covered village, he caught the eye of Jericho standing nearby, leaning against a wall.

Jericho's gaze was evaluative, as if it could see everything about a person's triumphs and failings and measure their worth. Almaz had seen that look hundreds of times before, from when he was training to be a guard to when he was declaring himself a hero to demons and humans alike. It was a look that Almaz had never before overcome.

Only this time, for once, he matched that stare with a look of quiet determination, a rare feeling for the young Hero. The match of stares lasted for a second, until Jericho broke it with a short nod. Curt, but not disrespectful, leaving Almaz feeling vaguely surprised as the samurai walked into the room without a word.

Had he finally measured up?

"Almaz!" a voice called. He turned his head to see Yukimaru waving at him, a ninja behind her summoning a familiar gateway. "It's time, zam."

* * *

Walking though the dimension gate, Almaz, Aria and Jericho felt the cold air fade away, replaced with the sunny climate of their destination. Blinking as the light faded, they noticed the gate attendant beckoning to them, smiling politely.

"Welcome to Holt Village!"

Holt Village was… not like Almaz had expected. Rather than a drab demon town filled with roaming warriors and intelligent monsters, it was a bustling little village, stone houses with thatched roofs lining the cobbled streets, with a morning market apparently in full swing. Almaz was caught by a sudden feeling of nostalgia, the town vaguely reminding him of the small town he had lived in as a child before he had moved to Rhodonite City for his parent's new jobs. For a moment he was disorientated by how familiar it seemed, then it hit him why- nearly all the people milling around the marketplace were human!

"Uh, Yukimaru…" Almaz began to ask, but the Snow ninja raised her hand to interrupt.

"My apologies, but I have just spotted a friend who requires my immediate assistance, zam." She bowed apologetically. "Ask Miss Friday for any directions, I shall meet you at the house with the summoning cauldron in the centre of the town later, zam." She turned to the gate attendant. "Miss Friday, can I leave them to you, zam?"

"It's about that guy earlier, isn't it?" asked the attendant, Friday, concerned. "Adell was worried about him too… Alright, you can count on me…"

Almaz opened his mouth to offer some help but Yukimaru, sensing his words, simply smiled and bowed before running off to wherever she had spotted her friend.

"Umm… this might seem like a stupid question… but where exactly are we?" Almaz asked the gate attendant hesitantly; who he noted was a demon. The pointed ears were a giveaway, but the young Overlord recognized her as a member of that famous archer race of demons of Badre who, like the PTA chairwoman back at Evil Academy, sported slender physiques and swirly, swirly hairstyles.

The archer demon fortunately understood his question. "You're in Holt Village, a small village in the centre of Veldime, in the human world." Almaz gaped at her in surprise. This was a human world? Yukimaru hadn't mentioned _that. _He had expected it to be another Netherworld after…

…Wait… Veldime? That name sounded familiar…

"Isn't Veldime where the God of Overlords, Zenon, is supposed to be hiding? I thought it was a Netherworld…" asked Jericho, also finding the name familiar. However, it wasn't for the same reason Veldime rang a bell for Almaz, and he racked his brain trying to recall as he half-listened to the archer's explanation.

"Heehee, yes, we get that a lot. Veldime, until recently, was placed under a terrible curse by a demon impersonating Overlord Zenon," she said, launching into what sounded like a well rehearsed explanation.

"You see, while it was under the false Zenon's curse, the humans of Veldime lost their memories and consciences, slowly turning into demons. Feral, immoral demons, not like charming demons like me, of course!" she joked sunnily. Not earning any laughs, she continued sheepishly.

"Demons began to come to this new netherworld, and it was believed to be a small, insignificant planet Zenon had conquered. However, two years ago, the curse was lifted and we had quite a surprise here in Veldime when we discovered this world was actually much more important than it had seemed."

"It turned out that a third curse, now known as the two-leafed clover curse, had been placed over the land itself, preventing travel to the nearby planets and twisting Veldime into an altered Netherworld. Veldime happened to be one of the largest planets of important human solar system, which, I'm telling you, had caused quite a stir in the rest of the human world when it had been mysteriously sealed almost two decades ago!"

Suddenly, Almaz remembered why Veldime was familiar to him. It had been all over the news three years ago, after all! "Oh my god… we're in the human world!" Aria and Jericho stared at him like he was an idiot, unimpressed by the revelation. "No, no, I mean, we're in _my _human world!" he clarified quickly. "Veldime was a planet, close to my home world, which used to be covered in some sort of impenetrable shadows until about two years ago!"

"Why the hell did it take you so long to remember that little tidbit?" asked Jericho skeptically.

"I've had a lot on my mind recently, okay?" said Almaz, more defensively than he had intended. Jericho rolled his eyes and raised his hands in mock surrender. "Besides," added Almaz, ignoring the samurai's sarcastic response, "Veldime and Gaia are two completely different planets. Sure, there's been some news and communication between us since the barrier dropped, but after Rhodonite Kingdom figured there wasn't a risk of demon invasion we were busier with other things…"

"Wait, let me get this straight…" Jericho grinned, amused. "Your girlfriend has a country named after her?"

"Jeez, Jericho, would you shut up…" groaned Aria sleepily over Almaz's flustered denials.

"Would you… like to go to Rhodonite? I can easily set up a gate…" offered Friday, glancing uncertainly between the three. Almaz froze, the thought worming into his head.

Yes, yes he would like to go! He would love to just go home and leave all this craziness behind. Maybe they could crown Mao as Overlord instead! Maybe he could go back to his normal life as a guard, maybe he could spend time with Sapphire when their lives weren't in danger.

But… he glanced at Aria. She was able to stand and walk fine, thanks to Yukimaru, Jericho and several medic's efforts back at Snow Melody, but he could tell her eyes weren't as responsive due to the anesthesia. Jericho, too, had a tensed expression that implied he was still feeling the effects of the ambush that night.

Almaz still needed to find out who that summoner was. Not only to find out if Sapphire was okay, but to know why he had invaded for seemingly no purpose at all.

Returning home could wait. He had a job to do.

"Thanks, but could you point us to the nearest healer instead?" Almaz asked Friday. She smiled politely and gave them directions, as well as directions to the house Yukimaru had told them to meet.

They found the healer's clinic easily, but before they could knock on the door, a voice called out to them.

"Looking for healing?" Turning, they came face to face with a cleric demon who looked like she could have been Isabelle's sister, if it wasn't for the stern expression on her face. "I'm the healer. The name is Tileyfa." She walked right up to Almaz, making him to step back a couple of steps. Why were all healers such _weird_ demons? "Hmhmhmhm… getting in to trouble lately, have we?" said the healer, eyebrow raised.

"Uh… yes… could you…" began Almaz, only to be interrupted by Tileyfa jabbing him in the gut with her finger. There was a sudden rush of energy and he felt like he was on a warm, breezy beach somewhere, the cool winds and the gentle rays of the sun washing away his lingering aches and pains. Blinking as the spell ended, he flexed his fingers experimentally. "Oh, thanks…" He felt so much better, even the wounds and strains he had forgotten about had vanished, leaving him feel so much lighter… wait… his wallet seemed lighter too… "Hey! How much did you take?" he exclaimed, annoyed.

The healer raised a dangerous eyebrow. "Enough for all of you," she replied in a voice that brooked no argument. "You are not nearly as hurt as these two, it'll take longer to treat them." Almaz shut his mouth, feeling guilty.

"Why don't you go find that house? You wanted to speak to Miss Yukimaru, didn't you?" suggested Aria. "We'll come find you when our treatments are over."

Almaz nodded in agreement. "Okay, that sounds like a good idea. Let's try and figure out a way back to our netherworld afterwards."

As he left and they followed the healer into the clinic, Aria leaned into Jericho and hooked her arm into his. He stared, flustered and speechless at the ninja, as she smiled roguishly at him. "You know, I'm glad we can finally spend some time away from Lord Almaz for a while…" she said teasingly.

"Wh… why's that?" asked Jericho hesitantly. Instead of anticipation, all he could feel was a dark sense of dread crawling up his spine.

"So you can tell me exactly why Lord Almaz happened to mention that you said he wasn't 'Overlord material'," she whispered murderously, her grip on his arm becoming vice-like. "And it's a good thing we're at a hospital right now, because I have a feeling you're going to need it a couple of times today."

Jericho stared at the red-eyed kunoichi, sensing no humor, only a sincere promise of pain to come. _'Oh crap.'_

_

* * *

_

Relieved that Aria and Jericho were safe and well, Almaz made his way to the house he had promised to meet Yukimaru at. Finding it easily, he couldn't help but envy its owners a little. _'Pretty big for a little village like this, plus they have a good view of the riverbank… man, I wish I had a house like this… a Netherworld castle is just too damn dangerous sometimes… I wonder what the back looks like…'_ Deciding to scope it out, he circled the house and his ears caught the sound of a conversation.

"And you really think he could figure out the real Zenon's… whereabouts, zam?" came the familiar voice of the Snow Clan ninja. Almaz grinned. Looks like he was a bit early. He hesitated to show himself, not wanting to interrupt, but anxious to speak to Yukimaru, so he hovered around the corner, waiting for a lull in the conversation to step in.

"You don't have to say it so hesitantly, you know. I have come to terms with it, after all," said another female voice. This one sounded somewhat cultured, like one of the nobles Almaz sometimes saw at the palace during guard duty.

"He was strong, maybe stronger than me," came a guy's voice, sounding worried. "We were both holding back, but I could tell he had a lot more power behind him. Almost reminded me of fighting Beauty Queen Etna."

"… Adell, for heaven's sake, stop referring to her like that," the second voice said, exasperated.

"But that's her title, isn't it?"

"This is beside the point, zam. Basically, this demon is extremely dangerous, is that correct, zam?"

"Yeah, really dangerous. He seemed like a nice guy, but I can tell he won't let anything get in his way… except he's going to have to deal if he tries something."

Almaz frowned, worried. They were in danger? _'I should help them. If they're in trouble, it's my duty as a hero to step in, isn't it? Besides, I owe her… yeah, I'll just walk out in front of them, and offer my help…'_ However, his legs refused to budge. _'Come on, legs, move! It's not that scary, is it? All I'll be doing is fighting another enemy who I have no idea how strong he is, right? Come on, think of what the Princess would say!'_

Thinking of Sapphire came with a jolt of melancholy, but he knew she wouldn't want him hesitating while people needed help. That thought spurred him on, like he knew it would, and Almaz took a deep breath, ready to announce his presence to Yukimaru's friends.

Then he noticed the little kid staring at him suspiciously. Almaz froze, surprised, as he fumbled for words. "Ah… hey there. How's it going…?"

"ADE~ELL! SOMEBODY'S SPYING ON YOU!" the kid yelled.

"I-I'm not spying on anyone!" spluttered Almaz. Out of the corner of his eye there was a flash of something red, and the young hero instinctively dove to the ground, narrowly avoiding a colossal kick to the head, which slammed into the wall of the house instead.

"Dammit, Adell, stop kicking the house!" a woman's voice from inside shouted.

"Fighting a spy, mom!" called Almaz's attacker, a red-haired human who looked a bit older than Almaz himself, who wore a long, red tie over a white shirt and loose fitting black pants. He glared at Almaz, who crawled away from him a couple of paces.

"Wait, Sir Adell! He's a friend, zam!" Yukimaru called, quickly arriving to Almaz's aid, followed by another girl, a blond-haired demon wearing a fine, black and red dress. Yukimaru offered her hand to Almaz, who took it and hauled himself up before sheepishly dusting himself off. "Sir Almaz, these are my dear friends, Sir Adell and Miss Rozalin, and I believe you have already met young Taro here. Everybody, this is Sir Almaz, who was lost in our land recently."

"Uhm… it's nice to meet you?" said Almaz hesitantly, glancing nervously between them. The red-head, Adell had his arms crossed, measuring him up, while the little kid hid behind the elegant looking girl, Rozalin.

"Nice to meet you too, I suppose," said Adell, after another moment of that awkward pause, "Sorry about the kick, but I'm a little on edge today. Stuff happened."

"Ah, that's what I wanted to talk about, actually!" said Almaz. "I'm guessing you guys are in a bit of trouble at the moment…"

"See! He _is _a spy!" said Taro, pointing accusingly at Almaz.

"Hush, Taro," said Rozalin, silencing the boy to let Almaz continue.

"So, anyway, I really owe you a big favor, Yukimaru, so I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help…" he trailed off as the Snow Clan ninja shook her head.

"Sir Almaz, there is no debt. I would not dream of asking compensation. We helped you because it was what our chivalrous hearts demanded, zam," she replied solemnly.

"Then, can't you let me do the same? I-I know there's a big problem right now," That decapitating kick was proof, even if nothing else was… "I don't know the details, but I do know that someone important to you needs help. You didn't know me before you helped me and my friends, so let me help yours. I mean… if there's anything I can do to help, that is…" Almaz finished awkwardly, suddenly becoming self conscious under Yukimaru, Adell and Rozalin's collective stares boring into him.

"Hmm… you do make a good point, zam…" said Yukimaru, glancing at the other two.

"Can you fight?" asked Adell, eying Almaz's sword. Seeing his nod, the red-head grinned. "Alright then, just this once. Glad to have some help. Rozalin, are you coming?"

The girl in the elegant dress scoffed, caught between amusement and annoyance. "An offer to go running around in the dirt, looking for a fight? Adell, you should have learned by now there are things a lady simply does not do, fool."

Adell raised his hands defensively. "Alright, that's fine. We'll head off now, we really don't have much time to lose. We'll be back as soon as possible." With that, he turned and headed down the street at a fast pace, heading for the dimension gate in the square.

"There he goes…" murmured Rozalin. "Keep an eye out for him, Yukimaru. He's very agitated by this. And thank you for your help, Mr Almaz," she said to the two.

Almaz smiled. "It's no problem, I'm kind of happy to help. Listen, a little later my vassal, Aria, and another demon called Jericho are going to show up here. Just tell them where I went, if you could."

"Wish us luck, zam," said Yukimaru after him, before they both set off to catch up with Adell, leaving a confused Rozalin behind. _'His vassal? Why would a human have a demon vassal?'_

_

* * *

_

"So, basically, this guy, Tav, is after Overord Zenon and it'd be really bad for us personally and probably globally if he were to succeed. We're going to find him, figure out where he's headed and, if we have to, punch him into dust. Beyond that, you're just gonna have to trust us," Adell said to Almaz as they passed through the dimension gate. "I just hope he hasn't gotten… too… far…" the red-headed demon hunter trailed off as he saw the state of the once tranquil reflection pond.

It looked like a warzone, only fortunately without any bodies. The earth was carved up and riddled with smoking craters and the air felt charged with energy familiar to all three of them. It was the buzzing sensation of mana energy. In the centre of it all, a black armored figure stood silently watching the skies. His hands flared with yellow energy, primed for an attack.

"Is he the guy we're looking for?" asked Almaz, confused.

"No, but he's definitely suspicious, if you ask me…" muttered Adell, glancing warily around the ruined landscape. Dust was still settling and the destruction was limited to around them, so likely whatever battle had occurred, it was short and recent, albeit highly destructive, of course.

"Hey, 'scuse me!" Adell called to the armored demon. It inclined its head slightly in response. Guessing that he had its attention, Adell continued. "Where's the guy you were fighting?" Even if it wasn't Tav, from earlier, Adell had to make sure his hometown was safe from any rampaging demons that could cause this level of destruction so quickly.

The demon said nothing in response, but did raise its hand, with a finger pointed skywards.

"What? He's up?" asked Adell perplexed. Almaz, giving a curious glance to the sky, caught the dark demon's message. Something was spinning far, far up in the sky, quickly becoming large and clearer. Massive slabs of stone, each easily the size of a house, were rocketing down on their position with frightening speed. Almaz could spot heat haze around the massive missiles as they accelerated, shattering the sound barrier as they plummeted to earth.

They gave a whole new spin to the phrase 'terminal velocity'.

Almaz shrieked in warning to the others, quickly spinning on his heels and grabbing their arms, diving back in an attempt to avoid being crushed into a paste by the rain of stone. Adell and Yukimaru, realizing their peril, quickly swiveled in his grip to run alongside him. The first of the meteors began to strike around them, rocking the earth with the force of their impacts, and the surroundings grew dark as they were overshadowed by the looming slabs.

Almaz gritted his teeth and sprinted as fast as he could alongside Adell and Yukimaru, but the quakes knocked him off balance and he tripped, causing the two Veldime natives to stumble alongside him. In a moment of panicked clarity, he realized that stumble had cost them their lives. Without speed there was no way they could escape the meteor impact only seconds away.

So, what? That was it? He was going to die here? Because he tripped over a rock? Without even proving his new resolve to his friends? Well, screw _that._

Determination and mana burned around Almaz, flaring into an indigo hued aura around him. That little anxious voice inside his head warned him that he had never tried this move carrying passengers and without a sword, but hey, as they say, desperate times…

Tightening his grip on Yukimaru and Adell, he flexed his indigo aura, letting the power free. Instantly, the energy burst into glowing wings, catapulting Almaz and his stunned allies forward and upwards, dodging meteors that pelted around them. Almaz pushed more power into the wings, causing him to accelerate, hurling through the rain of destruction until they broke from the looming darkness.

Not a moment too soon either, as the true meteors came crashing down right behind them, smashing against the earth with colossal force. The earth shuddered like it was frightened and a massive wall of dust and debris shot forward, pushed by the winds and shockwaves of the collision. Like the maw of a beast, the dust cloud surged forward and swallowed Almaz and his allies whole.

* * *

Freefalling from the sky, Tav landed, pounding a crater into the ground from his landing. Dusting off his hands, he grinned at the destruction of his Big Bang attack. "Well, it was a good fight, a true challenge," he mused, casting an appraising eye where his mysterious opponent had fought. "But, as always…"

The rubble exploded outwards as a yellow beam of destruction pierced through them, making an opening. A black blur leapt from the debris and landed away from the sinner, turning to face him. The blackened demon stood, stoic as ever, arms pulsing with glowing yellow energy that arced with black lightning, its armor only superficially dented.

"Oh _come_ on!" yelled the sinner in frustration. "Didn't I get _anything_ in that attack?"

A groan behind him alerted him to the three people behind him, sprawled in the dust. Adell pushed himself to his feet and dusted himself off, glaring at Tav, who grinned and gave a sheepish wave.

"Uh… hey there! Sorry about that…" Tav said apologetically. "Looks like you were able to avoid the worst of the attack though. What are you doing out here, anyway?"

"Taking a walk," said Adell, spitting out the dust in his mouth. He glanced back at the other two to check their status. The ninja had already risen and was prepared for battle, but Almaz was still sprawled on the ground, nursing a bump on his head. "I landed on a rock," he said helpfully, seeing Adell's look.

Adell grinned. "Nice save. I'm pretty glad we brought you along now."

"I'm just glad I didn't make things worse. Normally things explode when I try to land a Slayer's Decent…" Almaz replied, his face pale.

Adell stifled a laugh before turning to face Tav, growing serious. "I was hoping to ask you about something too," he said.

"Well, it'll have to wait until we get rid of this guy," replied Tav, keeping his eye warily on the black armored demon. "I don't even know what his problem is, he seems to be guarding something here, or maybe he was just waiting for me…" The Sinner turned his attention back to the stoic demon, on guard for a counterattack.

Without warning, a figure materialized between Tav and the blackened demon, casting both a dark look. Tav reeled backwards in surprise, while Adell and Yukimaru exchanged a concerned glance. Almaz, however, gaped in shock, recognizing the newcomer instantly.

The familiar sorcerer, with dirty white robes fluttering in the breeze, shook his head. "So, picking fights instead of answering my call? What happened to the pact we made?" asked Cinos in a bored drawl, before sighing. "It's been a while, Etem."

* * *

_Chapter 9 -end- _

* * *

Varanotes: dundunDUN! Man, not even serendipity works right for Almaz!

Bad news, I've been having computer trouble. Every now and again (read: upwards of three times a day) it just goes bluescreen. IT'S ANNOYING. Some weird problem with the camera driver, I'll find a fix as soon as I can.

Unfortunately, this means updates will be a bit slower than I like though, but in an ideal world I'll still get them out once every week or two. Fingers crossed, send positive thoughts!

And I can't help but feel Adell is a bit OOC in this chapter, what with his first idea being punching Tav into the dirt. In his defense, he's _kinda _on edge, since he's got no way of knowing how real a threat Tav could be. Yeah, and in case you can't read the mood, next chapter is fightin' time! Of course, there'll be a few surprises too...

Hope you enjoyed reading, hit that review button!

-Varanus


	10. The Violence Inherit

_Usual disclaimers apply - NIS's characters are NIS's characters. _

Thank you NightmareSyndrom, Anonymous (register so I can reply to ya, man!), Vehrec and General Generic for your reviews!

Vehrec raised an interesting question about level differences in his review, so I feel I should say to everybody: Just go with the flow, and don't count someone out of the fight before the round begins. I like working game mechanics into the story quite a bit, to be honest. You've seen it already, what with cross-dimension gates, the use of mana in specials and that alternate dimension thing that happens when certain attacks are used, and there are more to come in this chapter, even. But when it comes to levels, I'm more worried about making fights cool and enjoyable than anything else.

So, that said, enjoy this next overdue chapter of…

* * *

**Fail to the King!**

_

* * *

Chapter 10- The Violence Inherit

* * *

_

"So, care to explain? Or will I just skip straight to twisting your fingers off your hands?" growled Aria, glaring indignantly at Jericho.

They were standing in the lobby of the healer's clinic, with Aria healed and refreshed from her injuries and, of course, outraged at the samurai, who had opted to wait until _after_ the argument before consulting Tileyfa. Jericho awkwardly glanced to the side, to check if said healer was going to step in. Nope, it looked like she was ignoring them, instead fixing herself a Bloody Mary. Jericho sighed, aggravated, and gave Aria a defiant look.

"Listen, he ran headlong into a trap and got us stranded and damn near killed, and I'm not even his vassal. I think I'm justified in being a bit pissed. But!" he raised a finger to silence Aria before she could interrupt with a protest. "But… that's not why I don't think he's Overlord material. The trap was obvious to us, but it was tailor made for him. That sorcerer only had to mention that princess girl and Lord Almaz ran straight into the gate. He has a thing for that girl, doesn't he?"

"Calling it a 'thing' would be an understatement," said Aria, deadpan.

"Alright, so he runs into the trap just like a good hero is supposed to. Fair enough, that's just the kind of guy he is, right? That's what a hero is supposed to be like, right? That's exactly why I got so pissed." Jericho shook his head, exasperated and more than a little bit angry. "He's not supposed to act like a hero anymore. He's supposed to be an Overlord. His naivety was manipulated by an enemy who barely knows him, and when he was almost killed he dragged us into it as well. An Overlord can't have that kind of weakness- what if, the next time this happens, the rest of the Netherworld is dragged into it?"

"It won't happen again. Next time, Lord Almaz will cut his enemy down in one stroke," growled Aria through gritted teeth.

Jericho crossed his arms, returning the kunoichi's dark look with one of his own. "Right, one stroke. Why are you so adamant in serving him anyway? He's only been an Overlord for a week. He's not even that powerful, he's far from being a great Overlord."

"But he can be. He can be a great Overlord, I know it," said Aria with angry conviction. "He just needs someone to have his back, help him along. That's why I swore to be his vassal. Hell, he didn't even ask me, I just made the decision myself. Don't question my resolve, samurai," said Aria, scowling fiercely.

Jericho sighed. "That's what I was worried about. Do you remember what I said about the difference between loyalty and blind compulsion?"

Aria narrowed her eyes at him, so he took it as a cue to continue. He rubbed his temples as he organized his thoughts, trying to find a way to explain his point.

"You told me you only recently reincarnated, didn't you?" he asked her. Seeing her nod, he continued. "See, most demons don't actually reincarnate, they transmigrate. When you reincarnate, you burn your mana in an effort to reshape your soul, beginning a new life as a child somewhere. After you reincarnate it's difficult to gain access to your past life's memories and experience, since you spent a lifetime overwriting those memories as a child. It's a clean slate, essentially."

"So why didn't I lose my memories when I became a kunoichi? I mean, my body was new, but I can still remember all my past and training," said Aria.

"That's because you didn't reincarnate, you transmigrated," Jericho said, with the air of a someone who had explained this point a thousand times. "These days, everyone just calls it reincarnation, but it's actually very different. The mana you burn in transmigration does reshape your soul, but not enough to wipe memories. A demon's body is tied to his soul, pure mana condensed to form flesh and blood. Transmigration alters this into a new shape, in the style of another race of demon more suited to a certain task. So, you went from a warrior-type demon to a kunoichi-"

"What's your point in all of this?" Aria snapped.

He raised his hands defensively. "Okay, okay, my point is, you spent your entire life before as a fighter, right? But when you transmigrated, you suddenly had the grace and instincts of a ninja on top of that, didn't you? That's because transmigration ingrains the spirit of a demonic race onto your soul, a lifetime of instinct and muscle memory, but with none of the experience. The more mana you have, the stronger you will eventually become. For a demon like you, in the frontlines of the biggest battles we've seen in recent days, it must have been a ton of mana that went into your transmigration."

He sighed. "But there's a downside, one most demons don't even care about, but still." He looked her square in the eye. "They call it TCD, 'transmigration compulsion disorder'. You suddenly have instincts you haven't spent time refining. Your thought patterns begin to shift and you subconsciously begin to act compulsively, fixating on whatever your new race's obsession is. Fighting, knowledge, theft, hunting. In the case of ninjas and kunoichi? Loyalty,"

"Are you suggesting…" Aria said slowly, carefully, "that my devotion to my duty to _the Overlord_ is nothing more than mindless compulsion? That the work I've done and the battles I fought so far were just a force of impulse because I reincarnated?"

Jericho said nothing, which was more than enough of an answer for her. Stepping forwards, she reeled back her fist and punched Jericho in the jaw. He took the blow, deliberately, without any attempt to block or dodge it, and let his face whip painfully to the side.

There was tense moment of silence, where Jericho refused to look in Aria's direction. "It had to be said," he sighed quietly. "To many demons fall into that trap, and it looks like humans make those same mistakes. I hate those who march forward blindly more than anything else, because they never notice who they leave behind, or the chances they miss."

Jericho heard Aria move and glanced slowly in her direction. She was at the door of the clinic, her hand on its door handle. "If I was blindly loyal, I never would have joined Almaz's side in the first place. I was employed by another demon as a double-agent, at first. I was only supposed to check up on Almaz, to make sure he wasn't dead. But he proved to me that he has what it takes. Frankly, I'm surprised you haven't noticed it yourself yet." She turned the handle and stepped outside. "Don't tell him I said that. I'll meet you at the house." The door slammed behind her, leaving Jericho behind.

There was a slow clap behind him, and he turned to see Tileyfa sarcastically applauding him

"Don't give me that…" he growled under his breath.

* * *

Almaz gritted his teeth. Things suddenly just got complicated. Before, they just had to find this 'Tav' guy. Now, Almaz's chance to get answers had appeared, but what was the risk? If a fight broke out, could they rely on Tav's help to defeat both the sorcerer and his apparent ally, Etem?

"Etem, I'd like to have a word with you," Cinos said lightly. His bored gaze scanned the crowd until they spotted Almaz, glaring at him, with his sword drawn and ready.

Cinos frowned, caught between annoyance and exasperation. "You again. Aren't you supposed to be dead, frozen in a forest somewhere?"

"Is this the demon that attacked you, zam?" Yukimaru whispered to Almaz as Adell glanced between them, unsure of the situation.

Almaz nodded in reply, before stepping towards Cinos, locking eyes with him. "Sorry to disappoint you, but it didn't take," he retorted. "A new friend helped me out."

"Yes, I can see that," muttered the sorcerer, growing bored. "It must be quite a blessing, to have so many friends to help you when you inevitably fail. Tell me, who is this newest batch of buddies meant to replace? The ones you allowed to be slaughtered beside you the last time we met, or the ones who abandoned you when you stabbed your best friend in the back and kicked dirt on his heritage?"

"That's not what-!" yelled Almaz, but was silenced when a hand clapped down on his shoulder. Looking to his side, he saw the hand belonged to Adell.

"I don't know what your story is, but don't listen to this guy. He's just trying to bait you," he warned Almaz.

Almaz nodded, taking a calming breath. "You… you're right. I shouldn't even be chatting to him like this, I need answers. Sorcerer! Why did you invade my Netherworld?"

"I was satisfying a request of my comrade, in order to fulfill a pact we made," said the demon cryptically, shrugging, before glancing back at the paused battle between Tav and the mysterious blackened demon. "A pact which, I might add, you ignored, Etem."

Almaz blinked, momentarily taken aback, not really having expected and answer. Recovering, he raised his sword again. "You mentioned Sapphire. What did you do to her? Where is she?" he demanded. The demon shrugged.

"When I left her, she was alive. The demons with her were quite happy to accommodate her. Oh, but she could be anywhere by now. I don't really care," he drawled, glancing back at the combatants. "Etem! We are leaving now. You _will_ honor the pact."

"You're not getting away!" shouted Almaz, breaking into a Blade Rush, closing the distance between them in a flash to deal a cut that would slice the sorcerer clean in two.

However, faster than the eye could follow was not fast enough to close the attack before the unexpected happened. The brawler, Tav, stepped between them and backhanded Almaz, sending him crashing into the dust, his sword clattering behind him.

"I can't let you do that, kid," Tav said. Glancing behind him at the sorcerer, his face twisted into a scowl. "If you wanted my attention, Cinos, you've got it. Just make it quick." Tav pointed a finger at the armored demon, grinning savagely. "Don't get too comfortable, whoever you are! I'll be back for a rematch!" He glanced over at Adell, and his grin became friendlier. "That goes for you too."

"Hmph. And here I was thinking you had gone deaf, Etem." Cinos gave a glance to Almaz being pulled from the dirt by Adell, as Yukimaru leapt for them, blade already swinging in attack. The sorcerer snapped his fingers, and both he and Tav faded as they teleported away. Yukimaru landed a split second later, sheathing her blade and frowning.

Shaking his head to get rid of the blinking lights he could see thanks to Tav's counter, Almaz glanced confusedly between Adell and Yukimaru. He looked at the stoic, rusted demon, the empty spot where Cinos had been standing, then back at the Veldime natives.

"Okay… what just happened?"

Adell stared at him for a moment, and then slumped dejectedly. "I have no idea."

* * *

It seemed like a lifetime since she had been home.

Sapphire followed Vincent through the familiar corridors of Castle Rhodonite, making their way to the study halls. After arriving in the city, she had promptly been rushed to castle in order to be presented to the court. Sapphire was fairly sure the reason Lt. Vincent insisted on being her escort was because he didn't want anyone else stealing his thunder. Frankly, she didn't really care. Before, she might have been annoyed by this vie for prestige, but now… now she just wanted to go home.

As they arrived at a set of large double doors, a woman with glasses and neat black hair slipped out of the room to meet them. Vincent saluted her.

"Miss Secretary, Lt. Vincent Burgundy reporting. I present to you Her Highness, Princess Sapphire Rhodonite." He stepped aside, and Sapphire came face to face with the secretary.

"Mir, it's good to see you," smiled Sapphire softly, using the secretary's first name. Mir smiled in return, but it seemed a little forced.

"Princess, we were overjoyed to hear of your safe return. I will inform His Majesty of your arrival," said the secretary. She bowed, then turned back and re-entered the doors... Sapphire felt something was off with her expression- she could tell the secretary was being genuine, but there was something hidden that Mir obviously was trying to hold back. Sapphire noticed the makeup around her eyes that did not fully conceal the tired bags underneath. Mir was worried about something.

Sapphire could probably guess what that was.

Sapphire glanced over at Vincent, standing on guard. "Thank you for your help, Lieutenant, you will be duly acknowledged. That will be all," she said to him, dismissing him.

Vincent blinked, surprised. "But… "

"This is a reunion between father and daughter. Politics can wait, can't they?" said Sapphire with a smile.

"Yes, your Majesty…" he said, saluting and walking back where they had come.

Sapphire took a deep breath to calm her nerves. It was odd. She felt completely at ease with the demons of the netherworld and could handle the politics of her kingdom in her sleep, but she could never face her father without feeling a wriggling sense of apprehension. If she were to admit it… her father was the only one who could frighten her… and after her month-long absence, she knew he was going to be frightening indeed.

"Cyprus, listen to me," she whispered to her wolf, who looked up inquisitively. "Whatever happens between me and my father, you mustn't interfere. This is my battle only."

Cyprus whined in concern, but before he could voice his worries the door to the study opened and Secretary Mir emerged.

"His Majesty is ready to see you now, Princess," she announced, motioning to the room. Sapphire nodded politely and entered, Cyprus padding along behind her.

Her father's study was a large room boasting marble walls and floors, lined with bookcases occupying the entirety of two walls and a luxurious pile rug underfoot. The ceiling was not quite as high as the main hall but was nevertheless impressive, and a large fireplace crackled with bright, warm flames, casting a warm glow into the room. The strongest touch to the impressive but comfortable room was her father's pair of huge leather chairs, antiques from the founding of the kingdom, much like the massive mahogany desk situated by the windows. Sapphire felt a hint of nostalgia every time she saw those chairs, memories of her mother telling bedtime stories while she dozed on her father's knee resurfacing from her childhood.

However, her father was not resting in his chair, but was instead gazing out of the wide windows, surveying his kingdom in the light of the setting sun. His light crown was resting on the desk beside him, and his dark brown hair seemed somewhat unkempt. No doubt he had been anxiously waiting for this moment ever since Lt. Vincent had announced his discovery. Sapphire gulped down her nervousness and spoke,

"Father, it's me. I'm back."

Her father, King Schrodinger Sardonyx Rhodonite, turned to look at her, his expression solemn. He wasn't wearing his full regal garb, instead opting for his more casual suit, but that did nothing to take away from how giant he seemed. Had he always been this tall? Had those weary lines etched around his green eyes always been there? Sapphire couldn't tell for sure.

He stared at her quietly for a moment, as if trying to make certain it was really his daughter. Nevertheless, Sapphire felt somewhat relieved. _'Okay, he's a little quiet, but it's not as bad as I-'_ Her thoughts were halted abruptly when her father's face lit up with a familiar, joyous smile. Sapphire realised in that moment just how doomed she really was.

"My little girl!" laughed the king happily, rushing forward to scoop Sapphire up in a giant hug. Cyprus dodged out of the way instinctively- King Schrodinger was a tall, powerfully built mountain of muscle who could no doubt give a Baciel a run for his money any day of the week. It was clear he could, and would, bulldoze the wolf into the ground in his effort to be reunited with his beloved daughter.

Sapphire gave a squeak of either surprise or fear before she was picked up, like a rag-doll caught in a tornado, into a bone-crushing hug. "Oh, Sapphire! I'm so glad you're safe! I'm so glad you're home! Never scare me like that again!" laughed the king, tears of joy streaming down his face as he spun her around in dizzying circles. Cyprus gaped at the scene, his mind blank from the sheer sight of the epic embrace, a hug that was the stuff of legends, one to be handed down from one generation to another in quiet reverence. For the first time, he regretted the fact that he was born a wolf.

He should have been born a _poet._

The king stopped abruptly, placing Sapphire back on her feet. "Now Sapphire, we need to chat. Though I am very happy to see you are safe and sound, I-"

Sapphire lost her balance and fell over, her head still spinning from the hug. Schrodinger sighed and scooped his daughter up, bringing her to the leather chairs beside the fireplace. Placing her gently in one, he sat back in the other and gave a weary look at Cyprus. "Tell me she didn't get caught so easily off guard in the Netherworld." Cyprus could only stare at him in total awe.

"I-I didn't!" said Sapphire, coming back to her senses after her father's aggressive show of affection. "I was careful, of course! Besides, it wasn't nearly as bad as you made it out to be!" Her father gave her a stern look at this. "Well, not _all_ of it. Evil Academy was nice…"

Schrodinger breathed a sigh of relief. "Ah, so you found the Academy then. It's a relief to know it truly exists. So, then was that where you found your guardian in the Netherworld?"

Sapphire's head shot up in surprise. "Guardian?" _'Does he know about Almaz?'_

"Your wolf," clarified the king, smiling at the demon, who sat up, alert. "Tell me, noble demon, to whom do I owe thanks for protecting my daughter from the dangers of the Netherworld?"

Cyprus was caught off-guard by the sudden question to him, partly out of surprise the king had seen through his act of being a dumb beast, partly out of the fact the question was directed to him at the first place. Being Sapphire's shadow, he genuinely wasn't used to anyone speaking to him besides Sapphire and, occasionally, Almaz. Glancing over at Sapphire, he saw her nod, somewhat hesitantly.

"Cyprus is my name, if that's what you are looking for…" said the wolf cautiously. He didn't want to lie to Sapphire's father, but nor did he want to say anything Sapphire wanted to keep quiet. Considering her unusual melancholy ever since they had been sealed by Cinos from the Academy, Cyprus was sure she wasn't ready to divulge what had happened to Almaz just yet. "…and yes, I was a guardian of Sapphire's during her time in Evil Academy. But… how did you know I was sentient?"

Schrodinger laughed, a quick, hearty chuckle. "Because you were smart enough not to try and skewer me when I rushed towards Sapphire, of course! So tell me, why did you follow her back home?"

"Loyalty," he replied, without missing a beat. "Where she goes, I follow."

The king beamed a huge smile. "Then well met, Cyprus," Schrodinger said, extending a large hand to the demon. "Shake!"

Cyprus glanced skeptically at Sapphire, who smiled and nodded for him to raise his paw. The king took the paw and shook it firmly twice, a large grin on his face. "You caused quite a stir to follow my daughter into the heart of our country, Cyprus, but I can see it was to fulfill your duty. That shows dedication and loyalty, virtues worthy of my blessing. As long as you live you will always be welcome in my kingdom."

"It- it's an honor, your majesty…" Cyprus managed to say, his head reeling from the realization of what just happened. The king of a highly demon-phobic nation gave his personal blessing… to a demon. Never mind the fact that it was a demon in service to the crown princess, the political fallout for something like this would be enormous- although it was clear Schrodinger didn't give a crap about little things like consequences.

Yes, he was certainly Sapphire's father.

"So then, Sapphire, I expect you are tired," said Schrodinger, glancing at the dying light through the windows on the opposite walls. He smiled at his daughter. "So, tomorrow you can fill me in on your journey and afterwards, well, we'll decide what's next on the agenda. Perhaps a feast?" He waggled his eyebrows at Sapphire. "I don't know what the cuisine was like in the Netherworld, but we recently hired a new chef whose dishes are simply-"

"I already know what I'm going to do next," Sapphire said resolutely. "I'm going back."

Schrodinger gaped at her, beyond shocked. "Sapphire my dear, tell me you're not serious."

Sapphire shook her head solemnly. "I'm sorry, Father, but this is bigger than just me. There's still things I need to take care of over there. I was… chasing a demon when the portal shut behind me. I came home because I need to find a way back, and since you were the one who told me about the portal in the Silver Range..."

"Surely you're joking," said her father, eyebrows raised. "I'm sorry, Sapphire, but if you really think I will allow you to take another risk like before –"

"Father, there isn't a risk, not like last time!" insisted Sapphire. "I'm stronger now, much stronger! Plus, I have Cyprus with me too! I know where I'm going this time, I know what I'm doing, but I need to –"

"This is about Private Von Almadine Adamant, isn't it?" said the king, silencing her. She stared at her father in surprise and shock, unable to form a single sentence further.

How did he know about Almaz?

He sighed, sensing he was correct. "I thought as much." _'If only the rest of the kingdom could see her compassion,'_ he thought sadly. "So you found him after all. I knew that was the true reason you decided to go. So, Sapphire, if your hopes were rewarded… why did he not return with you?"

Sapphire looked away and refused to answer, her arms uncharacteristically shaking. Evidently, that had been the wrong question to ask, but it was the only one Schrodinger needed to know the answer to. "Sapphire, what happened to him? Is he alive, at least? Please, my darling, his mother has been sick with worry…"

"I… I abandoned him…" she croaked out, her hands massaging her face as if to bid tears to pour from her eyes. "He needed our help… but I just left… and when I tried to go back and find him, I ended up getting cut off from the Netherworld. That's why… please, Father… I have to return…"

Schrodinger sighed deeply and rose from his seat, towering above the princess and demon both. "That's enough, Sapphire. I've heard enough."

"But Father –!" Sapphire felt a stab of despair to see her father turn his back to her.

"Enough. There is no need to speak of this further." He stepped forward and stood by the window, gazing down into the panoramic view of his city once more. "Clear your mind of such thoughts, Sapphire. Go to bed and rest, recover from your journey. And then tomorrow, we will sort our agenda."

"Oh? And what would be on that agenda, _Father?"_ asked Sapphire, her despair giving way to spiteful anger.

Her father sighed wearily. "I believe first, we must contact the librarians of the realm, find what literature there is on the subject of Netherworld gateways and see if there are any other viable gates in the kingdom. If not, there would be the tricky matter of setting a new one up ourselves…"

"You – you mean –?" Sapphire almost didn't want to believe.

Schrodinger turned to look at his daughter, a sad, but sincere, smile on his face. "Sapphire, when you make such a heartfelt plea, even for something like this, how could I possibly refuse you?"

Sapphire bolted out of her chair and leapt for her father, latching a tight hug around him. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou –!"

"There, there," chuckled Schrodinger fondly, patting Sapphire's head. "First things first, though, is rest. Go to sleep, Sapphire, and tomorrow we'll find a way, okay?"

Sapphire nodded, tightening the hug for a moment before stepping back. The king was surprised to see her eyes were moist with unshed tears. "Thank you, father. Sleep well…"

"You too, my darling…" murmured he king as she left the room. Sighing, the smile slipped from his face, replaced by a dark, foreboding visage, one that mirrored the dread he felt in his heart at that moment.

"Your Majesty?" a voice called. He looked up to see Mir's figure in the doorway. "Forgive my impertinence, Your Majesty…" she began, speaking carefully to avoid insulting her king.

"I don't want to feed you false hopes," replied Schrodinger, already knowing the question. "But I do not think the news is as bad as feared. Give her some time, and when I receive concrete information you will be the first to know."

Mir blinked, surprised by the king's directness. "T-thank you, Your Majesty…"

* * *

"They teleported rather then use a gate, zam, so if I can detect their presence…" Yukimaru said, her eyes closed in concentration. Pausing, she opened her eyes and sighed, giving Adell an apologetic look. "I don't sense their presence anywhere nearby. I'm afraid we've lost them, zam."

Adell grinded his teeth in frustration. "So, what? We just let them get away?"

"Maybe…" Almaz said hesitantly, "Maybe we could ask that guy for help…"

They collectively turned to look at the mysterious armored demon, still standing silently where his battle with Tav had taken place, seemingly uninterested in his opponent's sudden departure.

"Enemy of my enemy, huh?" said Adell skeptically.

Almaz shrugged. "It's worth a shot, don't you think? He could know something we don't." Turning, he carefully approached the demon.

"My name is Almaz," he announced to the stoic demon. "Excuse me for asking, but why were you fighting that guy earlier?"

The demon made no response, staring at him impassively.

"I- uh… We're searching for those demons. It's really important that we find them."

The demon remained silent.

"We'd be glad to have your help searching, if you want to find that guy…?"

… No response. Almaz glanced back at Yukimaru and Adell, who shrugged, just as perplexed as he was.

"Well, that's too bad, I guess…" said Almaz dejectedly. "I suppose we'll just search on our own. I mean, they couldn't have gotten _that_ far, right? Well, see you-"

Before he could take another step, the demon's voice rumbled through the clearing.

"None shall pass," it declared.

"W-what?" Almaz spluttered, surprised by the demon. Behind him, Adell and Yukimaru tensed, realizing the situation was quickly becoming sour.

"None shall pass," repeated the demon in a booming voice.

"But we really need to go –"

"Then you shall _die."_

"I-I don't want to fight you," Almaz said, backing away and putting his hand on the hilt of his sword. "But we need to find those demons. Step aside."

"I move for no man," growled the demon, its bright yellow aura flaring up from its armor like gas thrown on a flame. Almaz darted to the side as the demon lunged for him with arms lit like rods of plasma, its hand transformed into a burning black sword.

Undeterred by its miss, the demon quickly turned and aimed a jab at the young hero, which would have removed his head had he not ducked and spun out of the way, putting distance between him and the demon.

"I don't want to fight you!" repeated Almaz desperately. The demon ignored his protest, charging his energy and plowing into another powerful lunge at the hero. Its attack was fast, powerful… and far too obvious. Predicting the attack, Almaz sidestepped the lunge easily and drew his sword.

He delivered his counterattack in one stroke, poised to strike a solid blow into the demon as it passed. The demon managed to twist at the last moment and catch the blow on its arm instead of its body, but the force behind the blow combined with the demon's momentum was far too much to simply deflect and its arm was cleaved clean from its body.

The battle ground to a surprised halt, as the demon just stared mutely at its severed arm. Adell and Yukimaru clapped in the background. It seemed appropriate. "I'm sorry I had to do that," said Almaz, sheathing his sword, "But we have to go. Stand aside."

The demon looked at Almaz, then at his severed arm, then back at the hero again. "'Tis but a scratch," it replied dismissively.

"A scratch!" exclaimed Yukimaru. "Sir Almaz just cut your off arm, zam!"

"No he didn't," denied the demon.

"Then what's that, right there?" Almaz asked accusingly, pointing at the severed limb on the ground.

The demon shrugged. "I've had worse."

"You've gotta be kidding me…" groaned Adell.

"Come on and fight, you pansy!" yelled the demon, charging with renewed vigor, and equal predictability. Almaz sidestepped again and brought up his sword, severing the demon's other arm from its body.

"Okay, _now_ it's over," said Almaz, "Go find a healer somewhere, but we're leaving." He turned to Adell and Yukimaru. "C'mon, guys, I'm sure there's some way we could – ow!" Almaz almost stumbled over as the demon began aiming kicks at his shins.

"Come on then!" laughed the armless demon, kicking Almaz's knee, causing him to buckle and nearly trip. Almaz quickly scooted away from the demon, scrambling to regain his balance. "Oh, had enough, eh?" taunted the demon.

"Are you crazy?" yelled Almaz, completely confused. "Go find a healer, I just cut your arms off!"

"No you didn't."

"_LOOK!" _yelled Almaz, Adell and Yukimaru in unison. The demon gave a cursory glance at his limbs, lying abandoned on the ground, and snorted.

"It's only a flesh wound."

"ONLY A FLESH- wait, stop…" Almaz's outburst cut itself off as he had a realization. _'No way… it couldn't be… could it?' _

"Are… Are you…" he began, hesitant, part of him unwilling to ask, lest his suspicion be correct. Adell, Yukimaru and the demon all edged in closer to hear Almaz's revelation. Almaz swallowed a lump in his throat before pushing on with his dreaded question.

"Are you… trying to reenact the Black Knight sketch?"

Silence reigned supreme…

…Until it was shattered by a low chuckling. Not a sinister, 'you-have-fallen-into-my-trap' chuckle, but an amused 'okay-guys-you-got-me' chuckle.

"Heheheh… you know something, kid? You're the first person to catch on," the armored demon laughed heartily, sounding amused and thoroughly satisfied.

"I- I don't believe this! You mean, you let me cut off both your arms… for the sake of a bizarre comedy routine?" Almaz asked, completely incredulous. Adell groaned and buried his face in his hands out of exasperation while Yukimaru looked confusedly between all three.

"Hey, I think they would have appreciated the effort I've gone to," said the demon. If he still had arms, he would have made a flippant wave of his hand. "Do you know how long I've searched for someone who gets the joke?"

"You're in the wrong universe for that," sighed Adell between his hands.

"I don't get it, zam…" said Yukimaru, feeling left out.

Almaz shook his head, still skeptical. "I only know about them because my friend Mao had inter-dimensional TV reception." Adell nodded in agreement as Almaz went on. "Nobody on this planet would realize what you were doing. Besides, just quoting their jokes completely misses the point of their humor!"

"On the contrary, the random context of my act serves as a perfect homage to their work," retorted the demon.

"You got pretty chatty all of a sudden…" muttered Almaz, finding himself incredibly annoyed. "Ah, screw it. I'm not having this argument with you. This has just been a huge waste of time,"

"Oh, no, you're not going anywhere."

Almaz spun around to face the demon, sword ready. It chuckled, and its yellow aura spilled from its form, enveloping it like a impossibly bright flame.

"This whole comedy sketch was fun and everything, but now I actually feel like a _real_ challenge. And since you interrupted my fight with that fist-fighter earlier, I think that makes you the number one candidate."

"N-no, you've got it all wrong! I-I'm a terrible candidate!" Almaz protested reflexively. He paused, realizing something. "Hey, wait- you don't have arms anymore! How do you suppose you're going to fight, huh?"

The demon shrugged. "Hey, I told you- it's only a flesh wound." With that, his aura lashed out and plucked the severed limbs from the dirt, returning and re-attaching them to the demon. Healed, it flexed them for effect and, though it was masked by a heavy, black helmet, Almaz could almost see the smirk on the demon's face.

Almaz cursed his big mouth, but stifled his rising panic. He was an Overlord now! An Overlord Hero, no less! If he couldn't win against an enemy like this… He glanced back at Adell and Yukimaru. "I'll hold him off, it's me he wants, not you! You two see if you can pick up Tav and that sorcerer's trail!"

"Sir Almaz, don't be foolish, zam!" exclaimed Yukimaru.

"Give me a break!" said Adell, scowling and moving into a battle position. "There's no way we're leaving you behind!"

"Listen, that sorcerer is bad news!" hissed Almaz. "He was able to launch a huge invasion of my Netherworld in only a few days! If he and that Tav guy are working together, I wouldn't be surprised if they found Zenon just as fast!"

Adell's jaw clenched in frustration. "…Damn. Fine, but you'd better not do something careless, like die, before we get back." Yukimaru nodded in agreement, prompting Almaz to grin reassuringly, faking confidence he didn't have.

'_Agh… why didn't they protest more?' _he groaned in his head, inwardly kicking himself as they darted forward, Adell veering off to the right while Yukimaru went along the left side of the demon.

With a metallic growl, the demon leveled its arms at them, its gauntlets overflowing with glowing plasma. "Who said you could leave?" it asked in an amused tone. "When I said 'none shall pass'…"

Its arms crackled, black electricity arcing from the plasma of his gauntlets. "…I _meant _it."

Twin blasts of furious plasma aimed directly at Adell and Yukimaru burst from the demon's gauntlets- exactly a moment after Almaz had tackled the demon with a Blade Rush with enough force to knock him back. His aim thrown off, the plasma fired arced harmlessly into the sky, discharging black electricity as they pierced through the clouds.

"I said it," answered Almaz, stepping back to put distance between himself and the demon. "I said they could leave."

"Feh. Who died and made you king?" growled the demon, tenderly poking where Almaz's attack had cut a shallow gash in his armor.

"Honestly? The previous Overlord of the Netherworld," said Almaz.

The demon stopped for a moment and looked up at him, then began chuckling, it's aura flaring up again. "You… you're serious, aren't you?"

Almaz nodded and adjusted his stance, his trusty sword at the ready. "That's right. I'm Almaz Von Almadine Adamant, Dean of Evil Academy and the Overlord Hero! I don't want to fight you," _'I really, really don't… please back down…'_ "But if it'll give the others a chance to pick up on the trail of those demons earlier, I guess I have no choice."

"It's an _honor_ to fight you, Overlord Almaz," the demon said sarcastically. "As for my name, well, there are those who call me…"

"I am _not _calling you Tim," said Almaz resolutely.

The demon's aura burst out of its armor like gas on a fire. "You're no fun. Feh, still, it's been so long since I've faced an Overlord. I think this is cause for something special…" It stretched out its burning hand and black flecks of metal began to form in the center of its palm.

The metal began to twist and expand, stretching out to form a stout blade, nearly five feet long, coated in blackened corruption and rust, burning with the same glowing aura as the demon. While the blade itself appeared weak, nearly bucking and fragmenting under the force of its own aura, that same glowing aura reached far beyond the outline of the blade, giving the appearance of a huge, illusionary broadsword, reminding Almaz of Aurum's energy sword used when he had transformed into his Evil God form.

The demon chuckled again and flourished the rusted sword. "This is my soul given form," he announced. "The corruption of this world, the blood shed by the guilty and the pain of the innocents, all of it spiraled together to forge this broken abomination. There are those who call me the Cosmic Scourge, the Dread Corrupter, the Tarnished Blade. But you…"

He darted forward and Almaz barely raised his sword to block in time before the demon's attack came crashing down. Their blades clashed together violently, the black blade's aura nearly blinding Almaz. The demon laughed in satisfaction, happy to see that Almaz didn't die instantly. "But you, Overlord, can call me Monty!"

* * *

_Chapter 10 -end-_

_

* * *

_

Varanotes: Man, that took forever. So who likes Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Because, from the moment I introduced Monty two chapters ago, that's all it was, just one big reference. Had to split this into a two-parter just to keep the size from getting stupid long. Next chapter, fighting time!

I bet you thought Monty was this ominous, silent behemoth in the last few chapters. Nope! He's just a jerk who likes the Black Knight sketch more than is healthy. If you haven't seen it, Youtube it to see just how amazingly unoriginal I really was!

Oh, and with the introduction of King Schrodinger and Mir, that's pretty much all the significant OCs (nearly said NPCs) in the story. The pieces are all on the board now, so let the game begin...

King Schrodinger has a funny story behind his name, actually. As I was doing research for the story, I was trying to figure out if Sapphire's father was alive or dead. The game makes no reference whatsoever about his mortality, and if I had even one more line in the game about him, I'd be able to make a judgment. As it stands, it could go either way.

Thus, in canon he is both alive and dead at the same time, and I won't know which for certain until I get one more bit of info. Considering this, I just _had_ to call him Schrodinger.

Oh, and by the way?

* * *

**~OMAKE~**

As they darted through Veldime's countryside in pursuit of Tav and Cinos, Yukimaru couldn't shake off one invasive thought.

"Sir Adell, how did _you_ understand the Black Knight reference, zam?"

Adell's face went blank. "Axel."

"Ah."

"Yep."

* * *

Varanotes: Adell refuses to comment further. Must've been traumatic. I guess Axel is also a Monty Python fan?

Hope you enjoyed, leave a review!

Until next time,

-Varanus


	11. Swipe of Swords

Thank you for your reviews, NightmareSyndrom, Fireblast 123, Mei Fire, Anonymus (aka Gloom-shroom), Mr. Light Chicken Bulbs, Vehrec and GeneralGeneric! Phew, most reviews for a chapter so far! You guys are awesome.

Lately, I've been listening to Devil May Cry music while writing the fights. So this chapter takes it's name from 'Swipe of Sword' from DMC4, but what you should be listening to in this chapter is 'Blackened Angel', from the same.

If you've noticed, with the exception of Big Star's attack back in chapter 5, all of my fight scenes have been pretty much just using the skills already present in Disgaea.

Yeah… this is where that starts to change…

* * *

**Fail to the King!**

_

* * *

Chapter 11 – Swipe of Swords

* * *

_

"But you, Overlord, can call me Monty!"

Almaz had no time to reply (or comment on the name, I mean, it was obviously fake), as the demon suddenly darted back and rushed him from another angle, bringing his black sword into a horizontal slash, aiming to bisect Almaz in two. Almaz managed to bring his own sword to bear, the sounds of the two swords ringing out into the air as he managed to just barely block the attack by the skin of is teeth.

'_Crap, he was just playing around before!'_ thought the young hero, going on the defensive and trading blows with the demon. Monty- if that was his real name, which it probably wasn't- was moving with such speed that Almaz could barely follow him and was no longer broadcasting his attacks so blatantly, instead attacking without wasting a single move.

Still, Almaz hadn't spent a month in the netherworld without picking up a thing or two about fighting. It was tough to follow the demon's movements, but he _could_. He silently thanked all those sparring matches he had fought with Mr. Champloo and Mao back in the academy, which had helped him learn how to pick up on minute cues in the heat of battle, even at this speed.

Monty's right arm shifted – Almaz countered a blow coming from below.

Monty's torso began to turn – Almaz blocked a bisecting strike.

Monty's aura flickered into a pillar above him – he was going for an overhead strike!

With a surge of mana, Almaz interrupted the attack, cutting right through Monty's blind spot with a Blade Rush, forcing the demon to swing his sword around to block the attack as the hero passed. He may not have done any damage, but Almaz suddenly found he had put the blackened demon on the defensive, as well as put some distance between them.

Quick to press the advantage, Almaz turned to face Monty and, with another surge of mana coursing through him –

He threw his sword at Monty. Who swatted it into the air, sending it spinning upwards.

Before Monty could make a snide remark about Almaz tossing away his weapon, the young hero was flying through the air, his sword swinging down in an overhead strike. Barely managing to react out of surprise, Monty brought his sword up and the two blades clashed again.

"Where did you get that second –" Monty's shocked question was answered before he could finish, as Almaz raised his hand- and caught the other, identical sword that had been sent spinning into the air. "Crap."

"Cross-level _FLURRY!_" yelled Almaz, cutting down with the furious assault, attacking with dozens of mana-enhanced strikes a second. Monty, however, managed to keep his guard up, countering Almaz's attacks deftly. The black blade danced like a whirlwind, denying Almaz even an inch of an advantage over Monty. Growing frustrated and desperate, Almaz brought both his swords down hard, clashing his swords with Monty's, before pushing off violently, rearing back for the finale of the attack.

However, this split-second reprieve was just what Monty was waiting for. "Two can play at this little routine…" he growled under its breath, flexing his free-hand and forming another black, rusted blade in that hand. Swinging both blades at the same time as Almaz, the swords clashed and locked together in a resounding smash of metal and mana that shook the dirt around them and made Almaz's arms feel like jelly.

Suddenly, the battle was at a stalemate, with both fighters trying to overpower the other and score the final hit. Monty's aura swelled out to encompass both, as if to attempt to smother Almaz with its sweltering heat.

"I'm not going to lose because of a little heat," said Almaz, sweating from exertion but otherwise determined to continue fighting.

"Trust me, 'a little heat' is the least of your problems right now," Monty replied in an amused tone, jerking his head to the side to beckon at something.

Through the corner of his eye, Almaz spotted another black shape beginning to form. This wasn't another sword though, it was much more spindly, with pieces branching off from the main form… almost like… limbs?

It was a metal skeleton, quickly forming rudimentary armor and its own thin blade in its hand. Glancing over his other shoulder, he could see a similar metal creature twisting into existence on that side as well.

Almaz realized in horror that he was trapped – he couldn't move away from Monty or else he would lose his sword – or worse – but the skeletal warriors had caught him in prime position for a pincer attack. They quickly drew a bead on him, reading their weapons to deliver what would no doubt be a laughably easy fatal strike.

"W-wait! Foul play! I thought you wanted a fair fight!" squeaked Almaz in protest, eyes wide and panicking.

Monty laughed darkly. "I wanted a challenge! I never said anything about a fair fight! You delivered, now _die!_"

The skeleton rushed in to attack and- suddenly one simply vanished, while the other was blown away by a fiery explosion. Almaz took this chance to shift his locked blades and kick himself away from Monty, ending the stalemate and putting space between them. Glancing at the remains of the skeletal demons Monty had created, he was shocked to see a familiar duo standing over the remains.

"We unfortunately couldn't pick up any traces of those demons, zam," said Yukimaru, bowing politely while standing over a patch of earth sheathed in ice. "In light of that, we guessed it would be more prudent to assist you, zam."

"You didn't really think we'd abandon you, did you?" grinned Adell, standing over a charred crater with twisted flecks of metal strewn around it. "Come on, man. That just isn't my style."

Before Almaz could respond, Monty slammed his sword into the ground, the other one simply crumbling away in his hand. "Talking is _not_ a free action!" His arms glowed and twin gouts of plasma shot from them towards Adell and Yukimaru. They both jumped away to avoid the blasts, which struck the twisted remains of Monty's skeletal constructs. They glowed, absorbing the energy, and rose again, turning to face the two Veldime natives.

"I don't know who you guys think you are, but if your going to run you mouths with the whole friendship and teamwork spiel, do it in your own time!" The skeletal constructs flared with Monty's aura and leapt for Adell and Yukimaru, driving them away from the battle.

Monty then aimed his gauntlets at Almaz as they began to charge, black electricity arcing from the barrels that had replaced the demon's fists. "As for _you,_" Monty growled, then let its plasma blasts do the talking, blasting a volley directly at Almaz.

"Aw crap!" swore Almaz, diving to the side to avoid the cracking missiles. Rolling, he quickly found his feet and sprinted as fast as he could, ducking and dodging the plasma fire being shot from an increasingly irate Monty.

'_I'm only dodging out of luck and frankly I don't really trust my luck these days,'_ thought Almaz, trying to remain focused on dodging the bolts of plasma flying around him. _'I need a plan, something that would catch this guy off guard…'_ Spotting an incline up ahead, an idea popped into his head, and he veered his dash to aim for it.

"Quit running like a coward and die already!" bellowed the demon, pouring more of its aura into the assault.

"I think I'll keep living, if it's all the same to you!" called Almaz, leaping over a shot that would have removed his legs and sprinting up the rubble hill before him, racing for the overhang of debris and _jumping._

"It's not all the same to me!" Monty yelled. His aura exploded like a volcano and his two skeletal constructs quickly collapsed, their aura being sucked towards their armored creator. Tugging his black sword out of the ground, it immediately burst into light, absorbing Monty's aura and flaring to life like a miniature sun.

"When I decide to fight someone, they _die_," Monty growled, thrusting the blinding sword towards Almaz. "End of story! _Dimension THRUST!"_

The energy of the glowing sword burst outward to snap up Almaz, a great flare of light rushing forward to swallow the very earth and sky before Monty, followed instantly by a deafening roar blasting out into the air. Adell, having been surprised by the sudden collapse of the construct, had to shield his eyes from the sudden flare and found himself doubling over from the throbbing in his ears. A massive rumbling began a moment after the blinding light, which suddenly escalated into the force of an earthquake, with the ground being chopped up beneath the demon hunter.

Before he could even gasp in surprise, a dark blur darted above him and grabbed his arm, dragging him to safety. Blinking the spots lingering in his eyes, he saw Yukimaru standing over him protectively, sword ready and her eyes grim. Looking forward, Adell stared in disbelief at what remained when the dust settled around Monty.

Nothing.

Nothing remained. Just a vast crater, stretching far, far ahead, black lightning discharging in sporadic bursts around the rippling air in the wake of the demon's attack.

Almaz was gone.

* * *

"Nice digs," said Tav, looking around the deserted library Cinos had teleported them into. "Figures you'd surround yourself with books the minute you arrived in this world. What was that thing you always said? About knowing random things?"

"'It's my business to know'" Cinos and Tav said at the same time. Tav laughed, a quick bark of amusement, at Cinos' annoyed look. "So what is this all about?"

"The pact, of course," Cinos replied. "In return for my aid in your hour of need, you do the same for me."

"I know about the pact, Cinos, I was there at Koba's grave when we forged that oath in the first place," Tav sighed. "What I don't get is how you think it applies here. I don't need any help."

"You think I'm stupid enough to believe that?" asked Cinos, his face his usual neutral expression.

"You don't want me to answer that…" grumbled Tav.

"Cute," said Cinos, rolling his eyes. "But you're wrong, Etem. I know who you've been searching for."

"How?"

"It's my business to know," replied Cinos. He didn't even grin at Tav's annoyed look. "Etem, listen to me. You've been searching for Zenon for twenty years now –"

"Exactly! Only twenty years!" exclaimed Tav, throwing his hands up. "Do you really think I'm desperate enough to invoke the pact after so short a time? To me, two decades is two blinks of an eye!"

"You shouldn't even have to blink once, Etem!" snapped Cinos. "You should have been able to find Zenon instantly! You are meant to be The Encompasser! Nothing is beyond your reach. Except, it seems, the life of her murderer. That is locked away from you. You need a key to –"

"You shut your damn mouth!" Tav growled, turning away from the sorcerer to face the library shelves. "You think I'm some kind of fool? I'm nearly there, he's in Veldime, and I can feel it. I just need –"

"Me. You need my help and my abilities, to find that last crucial clue." Cinos said.

"You're right…" Tav said, gripping one of the leather-bound books in front of him. "I just need one last clue. The answer is in my hands, I can feel it…" He turned and threw the book at Cinos, which froze in the air right an inch from the sorcerer's face. Tav smirked at the rare sliver of shock on Cinos' face. "But if you think I need you to show me what it means," the Sinner said, storming out of the room. "…then I'm sorry to disappoint you."

Cinos scowled as he left, holding out his hand to catch the book as it dropped from the air.

"Well, _that_ went well," Phoenix said cheerily, slinking out from behind a bookcase. Getting little more than an annoyed glance, she punched Cinos in the arm playfully. "Aw, relax. What's the big problem anyway?"

"What isn't?" he growled. "For one, that human Overlord seems to have survived, and has even more allies. Etem mentioned that he wanted to challenge one of them, which means no doubt they're strong enough to be a hindrance if we cross paths. I left them in the company of a demon Etem was fighting, so hopefully that will solve the problem, but..."

Phoenix scowled at the thought of the human having survived, before smirking upon realizing it was her chance for a rematch. "Yeah, well if it doesn't, I won't hold back next time we butt heads." She tilted her head to get a better look at his face. "Now, what's really the problem? You're even glummer than usual."

"We need him…" muttered Cinos, staring blankly at the cover of the book Tav had thrown. "Without Etem, there are too many risks. We can make due without The Artisan if we have to, and frankly we don't want The Envoy, but if I can't get The Encompasser, this whole plan becomes useless."

"He wants revenge," said Phoenix. "So why don't you let The Avenger handle this?"

"You think you can convince him?"

"Eh, maybe," she shrugged. "I'll speak to him and we'll see what happens. You go study or something in the meantime."

"I doubt he's going to fall for whatever tricks you have," Cinos sighed. "Besides, what do you think I'm supposed to study anyway?"

Phoenix shrugged, walking out of the room. "Hell if I know. You're the one who prides himself as being a scholar instead of a fighter. Go look up on Zenon or something."

Cinos rolled his eyes. "Yes, wonderful idea. No doubt this book here Etem tossed at me is one of a series of expansive records on Zenon's daily life," he said sarcastically, shaking the leather-bound book at her. Phoenix smirked and shook her head, disappearing from the doorframe.

Cinos sighed and glanced at the spine of the book in question. Gold leaf forming the letters 'Yrs. XVI-XVII' was printed on the side. Out of curiosity, he opened the book somewhere in the middle.

'…_where the Princess was returned__ to her room with her new dresses. As per your orders, Overlord Zenon, the servants responsible for this mishap were…'_

Cinos frowned, curious. Leafing to the beginning, he read the title of the tome.

_By order of_

_~-~GOD of OVERLORDS __**ZENON**__~-~_

_-Herein is written the-_

_-Daily Activities Manifest- _

_-of-_

_~Princess ROZALIN de __**ZENON**_

_Years XVI to X__VII_

"…What." said Cinos flatly. Turning to the bookcase almost angrily, he held his hand out, and the books flew into the air around him.

* * *

Adell swallowed deeply, feeling sick as he watched Monty give a mock salute to the vast smoking crater, seemingly a tribute to Almaz. Turning, the demon bared his sword at him and Yukimaru, its aura flickering slightly.

"Heh… that took a bit more out of me than I had expected," chuckled the demon, panting slightly. Yukimaru stood her ground, holding her arm out in front of her. "What, you want a piece of what your friend had?" asked Monty mockingly.

Adell gritted his teeth and stood up, ready to counter that insult, but Yukimaru placed her hand firmly on his shoulder, shaking her head solemnly. Glaring at Monty, she said in an icy tone, "If you think you have defeated Sir Almaz, I suggest you look again, zam."

Monty's aura fluctuated to mirror his surprise as he reeled around, scanning the empty crater for a sign of the young hero. "He survived? Where? Where did he go?" he demanded, turning back to face Yukimaru.

Yukimaru said nothing in response, but did raise her hand, with a finger pointed skywards.

"What? He's up?" asked Monty, perplexed.

Adell realized it just a split-second before Monty did and, looking into the sky, managed to catch a glimpse of an indigo pulse rushing towards them, shaped like a bird of prey, before it shot down onto Monty like a bolt from the blue.

"_SLAYER'S DECENT!_" yelled Almaz, bringing his sword down on Monty with an explosion of mana and light. The earth, having already suffered so much, shattered and broke under the attack, knocking Monty off balance and leaving him defenseless as Almaz landed a blow a hundred times more concentrated than Monty's, focused squarely on the dark armored demon, ripping his armor to shreds with a storm of indigo mana and dust.

Nevertheless, Monty managed to remain standing, but before he could counter his world suddenly went dark, obscured by swirling dust. He lashed out instinctively at Almaz but met only air, Almaz having already retreated after his devastating attack.

Glancing down, the demon saw his armor had been ripped apart from his shoulder all the way down his torso, blasted even further open by the force of the young Overlord's explosion. If Monty had been anyone else- or any_thing-_ it would have been a lethal blow.

"Feh," Monty made an irritated noise and quickly swiped out with his aura to disperse the swirling dust around him.

Striding out of the dust with all the demonic wrath he could muster, Monty found himself in an unfamiliar plain. The debris and destruction around the battlefield had disappeared, replaced a flat plateau littered with blades stabbed firmly in the hard stone ground that stretched far into infinity, with no horizon in sight.

"Infinite Graves…" Monty muttered, impressed. "Well, well, catching me off-guard twice, eh? Clever guy…" He suddenly wheeled around and brought his sword up, deflecting Almaz's rushing strike.

Monty spotted a flicker of shock on Almaz's face, but the young hero kept moving, rushing into the distance in the blink of an eye, and suddenly reappeared at another angle, forcing Monty to raise his guard once more. This time, Monty managed to lock his dark blade with Almaz's own, fighting against the massive rush of mana that was fueling Almaz's assault.

"Feh, not bad, I didn't even notice the transition. Pretty cool trick," complimented Monty as they both struggled to gain the upper hand.

"Thanks…?" replied Almaz, managing to raise an eyebrow in the middle of the clash.

"But, you know…" continued the demon, the grin evident in his tone, "I can do a cool trick too." Stepping forward, the demon pushed Almaz away from it with ease and snapped his fingers, the sound of a clink of metal. Bursts of yellow aura shot around the earth like geysers and in the center of each, a black sword emerged.

"I call it _'Infinite Conflict'_. Let's see if you can keep up, Overlord." Letting the surge of mana grab him, Monty disappeared into the distance. Almaz quickly turned and charged in another direction and, sure enough, there was Monty, closing the distance between them, sword low and ready to strike.

Almaz and Monty whipped their swords around in the same instant, but to Almaz's shock, Monty's black, rusted blade shattered his own polished silver one into a thousand pieces. Almaz suffered a shallow cut to his side as he twisted to avoid the worst of Monty's slash and continued forwards, grabbing another version of his sword and tugging it from the earth.

Banking a hard right, he spotted Monty again, rushing towards him from the distance and, in an instant they clashed swords once more. Again, Almaz's sword shattered on impact, but Almaz had half-anticipated this and escaped with barely a scratch to his arm.

Rushing forward and yanking another sword from the field of blades, Almaz rushed for the showdown again. His mind buzzed with panicked worries, as he could feel the mana buzz of his attack beginning to peak, meaning he only had a short amount of time left to land a finishing blow before the illusion faded.

'_But how can I beat him if he keeps breaking my swords? And how the hell did he interrupt my special with one of his own?' _Passing by Monty again, their swords met once more with the same result, with Almaz's weapon splintering and breaking on impact. _'Crap! This is impossible! The only thing that could beat his sword would be…' _

Suddenly an idea flashed in his mind. It was crazy, but he was out of options. _'I have to finish this-'_ he thought, rushing towards Monty's fast approaching form, reaching out to grab the hilt of a sword – _Monty's sword_ – and striking with all his strength. _'-NOW!' _

Monty giving a grunt of surprise seeing his own sword rising to meet him, and the two black blades clashed, both shattering on impact. Almaz pushed forwards, tossing the broken hilt at Monty as he passed and plucking another dark sword from the ground. Accelerating to meet Monty in the distance, he snatched a second black sword as he passed and brought both swinging around at the blackened demon.

Monty's single rusted blade shattered under the force of both of Almaz's stolen swords and the Overlord Hero scored two solid blows on the demon as the swords gouged deep into Monty's torso, knocking him off balance and out of sync with the attack.

Pressing his advantage, Almaz accelerated further, drawing another tarnished sword from the ground and landing another devastating hit on Monty, moving too fast for the demon to gain a moment to recover.

Almaz grabbed another sword and delivered another attack, another sword, another stab, another blade, another jab, another cut, another blade, another slice, another, another, another, moving so quickly there appeared to be a hundred copies of Almaz striking down Monty, each bearing a black sword.

Finally, Almaz felt the special begin to wane, the dimension swiftly constricting around them. Lunging forward, he knocked Monty into the air and leapt, cutting straight through the demon as the dimension collapsed around them like a black hole, the special sword skill concluding with another explosion of blinding red mana.

Breaking free of his special's hold, Almaz landed heavily on the ground, managing to keep his balance. He felt incredibly drained – the fight had taken more out of him than he had anticipated – but hearing the thump of Monty collapsing in a heap behind him, he turned to grin wearily at Adell and Yukimaru. "Heh, can't believe I –"

"Behind you!"

"Sir Almaz, watch out, zam!"

Almaz barely registered their warnings before his back exploded in pain, a searing heat digging into his spine and black arcs of electricity snaking around him, numbing his limbs. Collapsing, he groaned and managed to push himself up, ignoring the pain and franticly searching for his sword.

"Looking for this, Overlord?" Monty asked. Almaz's face darted up to see Monty, still standing after the hero's greatest efforts. The demon had not escaped unscathed, his armor ripped and rent asunder, revealing the demon's body beneath, a glowing golden furnace of concentrated mana. Its helmet had been ripped off but Almaz could barely make out his face, only his serious red eyes boring into him with an unreadable expression.

No wonder it had been so difficult to deal decisive damage to the demon! Monty was barely corporeal to begin with, his body being merely a concentrated vessel of the same mana that formed his aura…

Monty raised Almaz's sword for him to see. The young hero's eyes widened in shock as he watched his sword be swallowed up by Monty's aura, buckling under the force and rapidly became overtaken by rust and corruption, the strong metal splintering and flaking. Monty dropped the sword on the ground and it crumbled as if it were a thousand years old.

"I desired some amusement and a bit of acknowledgment. You provided," said the glowing demon, slowly walking towards Almaz. "I desired a challenge, and a cadaver. You both surpassed, and denied. I desired someone to match me, blade for blade, and stroke for stroke. Not only did you do so, you managed to… with _own sword_… my _very…_ _you…_" Monty gripped part of his remaining twisted chunks of armor, momentarily too outraged to speak, and then relaxed, regaining his cool.

"Feh. It doesn't matter. You came so close, closer than any else have come in a long, long time, but it's over now. You've lost your weapon, and with it, your last hope of survival." Seeing Adell and Yukimaru step protectively in front of Almaz, who was just managing to get to his feet, the demon shook his head disapprovingly. "I'll deal with you two afterwards. This is between me and the Overlord there."

"What do you mean, what Overlord?" asked Adell, accusingly, but was interrupted by Almaz's hand on his shoulder. Almaz gave him and Yukimaru a reassuring grin, and passed them, walking unflinching towards Monty.

"That's right, I'm an Overlord. I need reminding sometimes, it's still pretty new to me, so thanks," Almaz said honestly, locking his eyes with Monty. "But, you keep messing up my title. I'm Almaz Von Almadine Adamant, the Overlord _Hero_. I don't want to fight you. I never did. But when faced with trouble, a true hero always stands, face forward, against it! When faced with a threat, a true Overlord always fights, face forward, against it! I don't know what you are or what your problem is, but you are roaming a peaceful world looking to cause havoc and it ends now." Almaz scowled fiercely, overtaken by determination. "I don't even need a sword. I'll beat you before you can blink."

"Don't need a sword, huh?" scoffed Monty, his own tarnished blade in his hand. "Well, that's lucky, because I don't count any spares in that empty scabbard of yours."

"Count again!" yelled Almaz, a surge of mana coursing through his body as he leapt towards Monty, two katana appearing in his hands and one gripped by the hilt in his teeth. Twisting, he came down onto the demon with all three whirling blades at once in a devastating strike.

"Don't fight with your mouth full," Monty snarled, and shattered all three katana with one stroke of his rusty sword, knocking Almaz back into the dirt.

"Do you get it now?" the glowing demon asked, watching Almaz push himself up, waving away Yukimaru's helping hand. "You're good, but I'm great. You're an Overlord, but I'm a god. You may be pretty tough," Monty's aura flared, making the demon almost invisible in the blaze, save for his remaining chunks of twisted armor, "but I'm _invincible!"_

Almaz stared at the demon in the inferno with a blank face for a moment, then shifted to a skeptical, disbelieving look. "You're not invincible."

Monty's aura converged into back, concentrating itself into the demon itself as it began to crackle with black energy. "Oh? Then tell me, what am I?"

"You're a loony," replied Almaz, grinning.

Monty stared at Almaz in disbelief, then realized the pun and began to chuckle. "W-what? Seriously? I wasn't even quoting the routine… hahaha…" The cracking around the demon faded as Monty began to laugh in earnest. "Hoo boy," the demon said, wiping it's forehead to try to clear it's mind off the joke, "I gotta tell you, as last words go those are pretty –"

There was a rumble of thunder and Monty's head bolted up to see lightning striking around Almaz. The world grew dark and foggy, with thunderstorms of saturated mana roaring from above. _"Running Crosses!"_ yelled Almaz.

"Running what now?" Monty realized to late what was going on: Almaz had caught him, _again,_ when he had least expected it. He tried to snap his fingers, to extend his aura, to do _something_ in order to exert his influence on this pocket dimension, but all his attempts at movement felt like he was frozen in time. Was this… an instantaneous attack?

'_I'll beat you before you can blink.'_

Almaz made an upwards swipe with his arm and a great blade of mana rushed towards Monty like the Death Master's scythe. He took a step forward that was worth a thousand normal steps and bought his other arm forward, to deliver the climactic strike with his bare hands. There was an instant that lasted an eternity as the two fighters stared at each other, their eyes locked in quiet understanding.

"Tell me… how long have you been an Overlord?" Monty asked, as the blade of brilliant green mana reached them.

"Since Tuesday," replied Almaz, plunging his arm forward and cutting with the final branch of the cross, stepping right though Monty's form as it was consumed by mana blades. Over the roar of the rushing winds and thunder around him, Almaz could make out a hearty, amused and thoroughly satisfied laugh. Then the attack ended, Almaz's mana exploding in a massive blast of indigo, totally encompassing and obliterating the dark demon, Monty.

The fog cleared, and Almaz found himself standing right where he had been, only now, Monty's imposing form was completely erased. He felt a surge of energy flow into him as a portion of Monty's innate mana found it's way to him, strengthening his body further, but it didn't give the young hero the same exited feeling it usually did. "I feel like I should say something…" he muttered under his breath, then shook his head. Best not dwell on it. A hand came down in him, giving him a congratulatory pat on the back. He looked back to see Adell and Yukimaru standing beside him. How long had they been there?

"Nice job," said Adell.

Almaz shrugged, feeling in unusually low spirits. "It's kinda rare for a fight to get that serious. I barely recognized myself near the end there. Is it really over?"

Yukimaru scanned the area. "He certainly did not escape your attack, so there is no doubt you defeated him, zam. However, I can't shake the feeling that something remains that –"

There was a strange whistle in the wind, alerting all three to something from above. Looking up, they spotted a dark, thin object spinning through the air.

"What is it with today and things falling from the sky?" asked Adell, squinting to get a better look at the object. It landed in the earth a few feet away, sinking upright into the ground, and Almaz went up to inspect it.

It was Monty's sword. Still scratched, chipped and tarnished, but Almaz could not help but notice that it still radiated a primal sort of energy and power that remained, even with it's master dead. Actually… Almaz realized with a jolt of panic that it was _literally_ radiating power.

The blade was suddenly wreathed in its familiar glowing aura and a voice rang out, startling the three onlookers.

"_Alright then,"_ said Monty, his voice echoing from the sword, _"We'll call it a draw."

* * *

_

_Chapter 11 -end-

* * *

_

Varanotes: Okay, now there's a fight I'm proud of. It's not perfect, but it shows just how much Almaz has changed, even just from the start of the fic.

Next chapter, less fighting, more talking. Almaz and crew work out the beginnings of an alliance with the D2 gang, while Phoenix tries to convince Tav to join her and Cinos. Taking all bets! Does she:

A) Earnestly listen to his problems and speak truthfully about her own opinions,

B) Emotionally manipulate him into helping, or

C) Set him on fire.

Leave a review with your prediction! And tell me how I'm doing with my fight scenes now!

Until next time,

-Varanus


	12. Family Ties

NightmareSyndrom, Hefner J, Gloom-Shroom, azereath, The Ansem Man, General Generic, Vehrec, evil sol and Rabid Original, thanks for your reviews! Nine of them, broke the record already! I'm starting to think 100 reviews isn't so far away, people! You guys rock.

Also, woo! _Fail to the King!_ has it's own trope page on TV Tropes! Considering how much time I spend on that site it's quite a boost to my pride. Awesome.

So, here's my wordy, wordy chapter. Lots of dialogue. Also, one character has a foul mouth, so heads up.

* * *

**Fail to the King!**

_

* * *

Chapter 12 - Family Ties

* * *

_

Aria stood atop the house they had agreed to meet Almaz at, scanning the surroundings and trying to convince herself that she wasn't fretting.

Where the _hell_ was he? Almaz had said he'd be here, but after making a quiet sweep of the house the kunoichi hadn't been able to find hide nor hair of the Overlord Hero.

Aria sensed a presence behind her – a demon child – but feeling no vicious intent from the newcomer, she ignored it and continued to scan the area with her kunoichi senses. Jericho could just suck it, transmigrating into a ninja was an awesome idea. After all, there was no way she could search for the Overlord like this as a Valkyrie. Unfortunately… It was just so confusing… Almaz's trail lead from the gate right to the house, but after that it just disappeared…

"Why are you standing on top of my house? Are you another spy?" said the presence behind her. Aria turned slightly to see the speaker. It was a young demon boy with messy gray hair and stubby bullhorns, looking at her with reproachful eyes.

"I'm looking for somebody," Aria replied simply, but before she resumed her search a thought occurred to her. "You haven't seen him wandering by here, have you? Human named Almaz. Black hair, red scarf…"

"Oh, you mean the spy. You're looking for him?" replied the kid, realization dawning on him. "He went with big brother and Miss Yukimaru to the dimension gate. Are you an assassin?"

"What? No, I'm… Wait, he went to the dimension gate?" Aria asked, deciding to ignore the kid's question.

The boy nodded. "Big brother needed some help fighting someone so the spy, mister Almaz, went to help."

"He went to fight somebody?" Aria asked, frowning. Now that she thought about it, if Almaz had immediately turned around and gone back to the gate, it was no surprise it seemed like his trail had suddenly vanished… but if he went to fight somebody, barely two days after they had arrived in this unfamiliar world… then he would die for sure.

Because she would _kill_ him.

Nodding to the kid while mentally cursing herself for not realising it sooner, she dove from the house and took off for the gate, hopping along rooftops to avoid the crowds. Reaching the gate, she dropped down in front of Friday, startling the timid demon. "Send me to wherever Almaz went, now."

Friday stared wide-eyed at the kunoichi for a moment, before she realised her request and opened the portal. "This gate sure is popular lately…" the guide muttered to herself.

Aria grunted a quick thanks (damn, the hero crap really _was_ rubbing off on her!) and dove into the gate, emerging at some sort of wasteland. The first thing she felt was the massive amount of energy buzzing in the air, making the hairs at the back of her neck stand up. Giving the area a quick survey, she realized that this wasteland was surrounded by green trees and grass only a short distance away. The desolation was recent, surely as a result of the same battle that left the energy residue in the atmosphere.

So where was Almaz in all this? Surely he wasn't… He couldn't be…

Aria heard voices nearby. Carefully, she edged her way around a large outcrop of splintered rock and, peering discreetly around it, spotted Yukimaru and a human with red hair that seemed about Almaz's age. The human moved to the side, and there she spotted Almaz, crouching down to look at some sort of sword.

Relief gave way to irrational anger and Aria strode quickly towards her Overlord, ignoring Yukimaru's surprised greeting. Almaz looked up at her and grinned sheepishly. She lifted her hand high above her head –

"Ah, hey, Aria, what are you-"

– And brought her fist crashing down on the young hero's thick skull. Before Almaz could fall, Aria grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and started to shake him violently. "What the hell were you thinking, running off like that! And look at you!" she shouted, noticing his injuries. "You're hurt!"

"Well, you did just hit him…" the red-haired human said.

Aria ignored him, more interested in chewing out Almaz. "We haven't even been here for two days and you've already nearly died twice! What were you thinking?"

Almaz didn't answer, as he was preoccupied with the tiny prinnies dancing around his head like little chickens. Man, they were so weird; they made him so sleepy that he just _had_ to take a nap…

Aria stared in minute shock as Almaz's head lolled to the side, rolling out of consciousness. "Oh crap… I think I broke him…" She looked over at Yukimaru and the unfamiliar human, then back at the comatose Almaz. "I… am going to take him to the healer…" she muttered quickly, hoisting the young Overlord onto her shoulder and dashing back to the gate, leaving Yukimaru and Adell behind in flabbergasted silence.

"…Did a ninja just run in, knock Almaz unconscious and kidnap him?" asked Adell hesitantly.

"Yes, zam," replied the snow nin.

"_Please_ tell me she was a friend of his."

"She was, zam."

"Well, that's alright then, I suppose," shrugged Adell. He and Yukimaru started to make their way back to the gate after them when a familiar voice called out behind them.

"_What, you're just going to leave me here?"_ said Monty, his voice resonating from his sword.

Adell looked at the sword with a critical eye. "I dunno… cursed swords aren't really my thing. Are you going to try to bite me or something if I pick you up?"

"_I don't bite! Stab, sure, but never bite,"_ protested the sword. _"Besides, the Overlord kid there defeated me, right? That means he gets to wield me, obviously. You're going to deprive your friend of a weapon like me? That's cold, you two. That's real cold."_

"No, _this_ is cold, zam," said Yukimaru with a roll of her eyes, encasing the sword in a thick block of ice with a quick jutsu.

Adell grinned. "Cold storage. Nice."

"Thank you, zam," Yukimaru replied with a sly smile, stabbing the block of ice with several kunai to make handholds. Grabbing one end, she signaled Adell to grab the other. "It's best not to touch possessed weapons until you are sure what you're dealing with," she explained. "But he spoke the truth. Almaz should get to decide what to do with him, zam."

Adell nodded, hefting up the block of ice with Yukimaru and walking back to the gate with her. "I guess you're right. Say… did you know he was an Overlord? I'd like to think we can trust him, 'cause he seems genuine, but…"

"I understand your worry. However, he arrived in Snow Melody at the brink of death, there was no ruse there. As you say, he seems genuine, so we will just have to ask him straight out back at the village, zam."

Adell nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it looks like the demon we're after is working with that sorcerer. If Almaz was fighting him… then it looks like we're in this together."

"There is another thing that I wanted to say, about that martial artist demon, zam," said Yukimaru. "I didn't say anything during the confrontation, but I think I –"

They stopped, seeing a familiar person standing in front of the dimension gate, a look of abject horror on her face.

"What happened to the reflection pool?" squeaked Friday.

* * *

Phoenix found Tav in the ruined courtyard of the mansion, sparring with an identical double of his. She knew he liked to train with those, since they could move with the same speed and skill as he did, but she couldn't help but roll her eyes at how petulant the brawler was being. She knew the difference between training and sulking when she saw it.

Summoning her spear with a click of her fingers, she aimed and threw it like a javelin at the two fighters. It sunk into what she figured was the clone's chest and exploded into a ball of flames, consuming and disintegrating the doppelganger.

Tav was not amused.

In fact, he was in a lot of pain.

"AAAAAAGH!" Screaming, he batted his arm around to try and extinguish phantom flames, clutching his hand to his chest on a stab wound that wasn't there. "Agh, Ow. Phoenix, you utter _bitch! _I should have _known_ you'd be here!" he yelled, reeling around with a punch she deftly avoided. "What the hell is your problem? You _know_ I can feel anything my clones feel!"

Phoenix shrugged, grinning as if she had merely played a harmless prank. "Wha~at? You're fine, aren't you? Besides, I was getting pretty tired of watching you literally beat yourself up over your little spat with Cinos."

Tav opened his mouth to deliver a biting retort that would send Phoenix running… but found none, sighing instead. "That obvious, huh?" He walked over to the steps and collapsed onto them, his back to Cinos. "It's just… this whole journey I'm on… it's not something you or Cinos could understand."

Now, Tav knew Phoenix had a number of options at this point. She could laugh at him, and proceed to try to convince him to help out Cinos. She could become saccharine sweet and cosy up to him with an impossible display of charm nobody else could manage. Or, she could just – and probably would – literally kick his head off and knock it into the stratosphere. Not that that would kill him, but it would be annoying for a few days or so afterwards.

So, considering this, he was very surprised when he felt Phoenix's arms wrap around his frame in a hug. "Damn right I can't understand," the Valkyrie said, resting her chin on the top of his head. "I can't understand something I know nothing about. I can't sympathise with a dead girl who was a stranger to me. So spill it. Who was she? Why is this so important to you, Aleph?"

Tav felt the memories bubble up inside him, and he couldn't stop the next words from spilling from his mouth. "It's… about more than just her, but it did begin with her. She called herself Etoile."

"She was… well, you know she was one of us. She was strong-willed, stubborn, and had a merchant's spirit, always chasing new horizons. You probably would have liked her. At first we only travelled with each other because she wanted to make use of my Wanderlust."

"Your weird travel ability?" asked Phoenix.

Tav nodded. "Yep, that's the one. Honestly, it's probably the same reason why Cinos wants my help in the first place.

"Anyway, you can probably guess how it goes. Two people who both have egos twelve sizes too big, stuck together on a journey with no particular destination. We fell in and out of love, sometimes she'd decide to stay a couple of decades in a town on some scheme of hers, other times I'd be the one to part ways because I was restless.

"Problem with her was, eventually people started to take notice of her power. She was never shy about displaying it, but eventually she caught the attention of the Overlords. Of course, dealing with an Overlord or two isn't a big deal to us, so even as I heard that a war suddenly broke out after her, over twenty years ago now, I wasn't really that worried… until I got wind that the God of Overlords Zenon was in the middle of it all."

"I remember that…" Phoenix recalled. "That was the secret war where Zenon disappeared, right? Where he killed those ninety-nine Overlords?"

"Yeah, and the prize was Etoile," Tav said, his face twisting in anger. "I arrived too late… just in time to see her die, her power stolen by Zenon. All that was left was her…" he shuddered, remembering. "It's sick, isn't it? How, when we die, we just become tools for other people to use?"

"Another bastard, trying to use us…" muttered Phoenix, looking away. "Is that why you ignored us for so long? Because you felt it was your duty to defend her?" She turned on him with a snarl on her face. "Because if that is the reason you never called on us, you're a freaking idiot."

Tav sighed and shook his head. "I'm not finished. That's not the end of the story, like I said, it's about more than just Etoile. But you're right… I am an idiot. I'm not going to go off on a little lovestruck teenager spiel about how she was the only one for me, the only love I'll ever know. Still, after she died, I was like that, consumed with revenge, a desire to destroy everything just to kill her murderer and free her soul. But… in my wanderings, that changed."

"Oh? What did you see that you hadn't seen before?" asked Phoenix, interested.

"The world, Phoenix," he said, almost wistful. "Not all of it at once, like I usually do, but bits and pieces. One of the first things was here in Veldime, when I saw was a village covered in snow. A ninja sect of demon lived there, but it was peaceful. I remember seeing this little girl, barely one or two, walking barefoot through a garden. For some reason, that struck me, and I found myself speaking with the girl."

"A two year old? Heh, sounds like you had found the one person who you could keep up with in conversation," Phoenix teased.

"Ha, ha. You're cracking me up here," said Tav sarcastically, before continuing. "Nah, the girl couldn't speak yet. Seemed fond of me though. Her father had passed on, and her mother, a woman named Aoi, was very beautiful. I… I felt almost drawn to them, you know? So when she asked me to stay for some tea, I agreed."

"Let me guess where this ends up – in bed with Aoi?" Phoenix asked with a flirty grin.

Tav grew red and began spluttering. "W-what? No, no that's not what-!"

"Was it what you wanted?" asked Phoenix, serious.

"I… I think I did," Tav admitted. "Part of me just… wanted to move on. It was the perfect opportunity. But I couldn't just abandon my journey."

Phoenix sighed, tapping the side of his head with her fist. "So, you picked poor dead Etoile over a family with Aoi. Nice move."

She was totally caught off guard when Tav's hand shot up and grabbed her wrist. Before she could react she was flying through the air, and only barely managed to twist her feet around to land harmlessly. She turned around to look at him, fuming. "Okay, what the hell?"

"It wasn't about who was living and who was dead!" spat Tav. "It was about freedom! How could I rest knowing the soul of the woman I once loved was still bound to Zenon? I wanted to stay, every fibre of my being told me too, but that's exactly why I had to leave, before I forgot what I swore completely."

Phoenix crossed her arms. "Oh? And you're happy you made the right decision?"

"No!" roared Tav, surprising the flame-haired woman. "No, I made the wrong decision! The worst possible!" He slumped back onto the steps and went silent for a moment, trying to find the words to continue. "I returned there, once, about two years later, and nearly didn't find it."

Phoenix frowned. "What happened?"

"It had been almost totally destroyed," said Tav, gritting his teeth. Phoenix's eyes widened in shock as Tav went on. "Aoi, the little girl, everyone… all dead and gone. There were a few scrapes of survivors, an Elder of the village and two children that had been hiding in the forest at the time. I stayed that time, trained them for a few years and left, wishing them luck. They wanted me to stay and help them defeat the one who attacked, who had slaughtered the village, but I told them it wasn't my duty to. But in reality? I went to hunt him down alone, to try and save them, since I knew, no matter how hard they trained, they didn't have a hope."

"I bet you can guess who was behind the attack. Zenon. Had I stayed…" Tav sighed. "I'm such a fool… things could have been so different… the least I can do is avenge them."

"Bullshit," Phoenix spat. Tav stared at her in disbelief as she snarled at him. "Everything you've just said is utter crap. Don't pretend you're all high-and-mighty here. I don't care how many times you say you've been around the block, you're not as above it all as you claim! You want revenge, pure and simple."

Tav scowled. "Haven't you listened to a single thing I've said?" he asked angrily.

"Yeah, I have, and I can't stand another second of your pretentious whining," she replied flippantly. "'The least I can do', 'my sworn duty'. If you're going to keep going on like this forever, just go get me a bucket first."

Tav rose, speechless with outrage as Phoenix continued. She grinned like the most vicious shark, satisfied to see she was finally knocking some truth into him.

"All your motivations these past years have been fuelled by Zenon's actions. Fact," she said, smirking at his rage-filled face. "All this chaos and confusion in your heart, it's Zenon's doing. And you hate that, you hate being bound to someone else's agenda, you hate that what you had and could have had was taken away from you. You want to wipe away the stain on the world that did this to you. But your pride, as 'The Hand of the Encompasser', as the First-And-Last, well, that won't let you admit it, will it? When I look at you, I see a man, dying of thirst in a desert. An oasis is right in front of you, but it's too demeaning to get down on your hands and knees to drink from it. So you're out here, using your dead girlfriend as an excuse to –"

She was cut short as a blur of light rushed for her head. She wheeled to the side, but was knocked off her feet as a leg swept below her. Landing on the hard stone, she coolly looked up at the furious Tav, looming above her like the Death Master. She casually glanced at his clenched fists.

His tattoos, ten lines on each hand stretching from each finger to the circle printed on the back of his fist, were glowing. Of course, they normally glowed with a light, only barely noticeable if one was outside in the daylight, but now, the lines on his index, middle and ring finger on each hand positively shone like the sun. Phoenix couldn't help but crack a smile at the sight, despite the very real danger she knew they represented.

"Oh? The Six Pillars, for little old me?" she said in a sing-song voice, keeping her mocking sneer on her face. "I'm honoured, but you really should be careful where you point that thing. You don't want to erase this damn rock you're so hung up on, do you? Maybe you should put that power to more constructive use."

"**A**nd **W**hat **W**ould **Y**ou **H**ave **M**e **D**o**?**" snarled Tav, his voice booming out of the air around them.

"Honour the pact," Phoenix replied coldly. The flare of light cut immediately and Tav took a startled step back.

"I should have known he'd have twisted your arm…" he muttered, looking away. "Why is it that all you and Cinos talk about is that damn pact?"

Phoenix's cool glare never left him "Because this is what it was forged to do, Etem. To protect and help each other. Don't you get it? If you had called on us from the beginning, we would have caught Zenon immediately and exacted bloody revenge on him."

"That won't bring anyone back," Tav said, shaking his head, trying to ignore her. "It won't change a damn thing."

"It'll avenge them, Aleph," she said firmly. "And don't you dare pretend that's not what you want. It'll avenge Aoi and her baby, and it'll free Etoile.

"It doesn't change a damn thing…" Tav croaked.

"Unless our souls are utterly shattered and burnt up, we're beyond death, Tav," Phoenix reminded him. "Even if she died, she can return."

"I've been around longer than you. It won't…" Tav breathed heavily, getting a hold of himself. "Even if one of us does come back, something is lost from the old self. Something new appears. So even if I do free her soul, it's not going to be the Etoile I loved…" He shook his head again. "And I'm fine with that. If this whole business was solely about losing her, I'd have probably given up by now, accepted her fate as something unfortunate but inevitable. Even in spite of our pact, some day we're all going to confront someone who is just that much stronger than us. We'll die, and we'll pass our power onto them. I might not like it, but it's just natural."

Phoenix snorted. "Yeah, easy for you to say. You've never been in that position before. You're a wanderer, Aleph. You don't know what it's like to be bound down, with no hope of escape." Tav looked back at her in surprise and caught a dark shadow of an expression on her face, before it returned to her usual confident smirk as she looked him square in the eye. "That's why I want to help. To free her. To let her die, if that's what she wants. Even if Cinos doesn't join, I'll help, no pact necessary."

Tav gaped at her in surprise. Phoenix, of all people, volunteering her help?

"Just warning you though, we probably still need Cinos' help," she pointed out. "And he does want to help, I can tell. But he's so damn… formal about everything. Just keep in mind... you can't just keep on ignoring the pact. If he invoked it, that means he needs help. What's to say your need is bigger than his?"

With that, she turned on her heel and strode back into mansion, not even sparing Tav a second glance. He'd come around, she knew. He was the eldest, so it was expected for him to act like he had morals and all that useless crap, but Phoenix knew him well enough to tell he was just as messed up and thirsty for blood as the rest of the rest of the members of their little family.

Because that's what they were, as much as Cinos hated to admit. They weren't bound by blood, instead by old magic and oaths, but people have been families on much less.

And family protected each other, helped each other, and watched each other's backs.

And Tav knew that. He'd come around.

* * *

One trip to the healer and a decision never to speak of what had occurred ever again later, Almaz, Aria and Jericho were sitting at a table in Adell's living room as the Veldime natives grasped the entire scope of the young hero's story.

"So… Overlord, huh?" Adell asked, scratching the back of his head.

Almaz sighed and nodded for the tenth time. "Is it really that difficult to believe?"

"That's a bad habit…" muttered Jericho. Almaz glanced questioningly at the samurai, who grinned slightly. "Asking questions you don't like the answer to, I mean."

Almaz groaned and Aria glared at the samurai with daggers in her eyes, making Jericho clam up.

Adell, Rozalin and Yukimaru watched the banter with confused amusement. Could Almaz really blame them for doubting him, all things considered? Adell cleared his throat, getting their attention.

"So, uh, anyway, thanks for your help today," he said.

"I didn't do much…" mumbled Almaz.

"Friday disagrees, zam," Yukimaru said with a guilty grin, recalling the shell-shocked gate attendant's face. Adell smirked slightly as well, but quickly got back to the topic.

"You did help. You got us away from that asteroid attack, and if you weren't there we wouldn't have known that that sorcerer –"

"Cinos," supplied Yukimaru.

"Yeah, him. We wouldn't have known he was up to no good."

"Really?" asked Aria sceptically. "Because, well, shouldn't you be able to guess just from looking at him? He's clearly evil. Not just normal evil either, the whole 'fallen angel' renegade heretic look too. That usually screams 'bad guy' to me."

"Yeah, but every demon dresses like a villain, you know?" Jericho countered. "Judging from the ease he invaded the Academy with, I think he's the real deal."

"Yes, and if he truly is allies with that warrior from before…" muttered Rozalin, deep in thought.

"Is this Tav, or Etem or whatever, is he really that strong?" asked Aria.

"He threw a meteor at us by accident," Adell said. "He's strong."

"It's worse than that, zam," Yukiaru said, frowning. Adell gave her a look that said _'worse than a meteor? A likely story!'_, but she ignored it. "You see, I did recognise him somewhat, and if he is who I believe he is, I can vouch for his strength, zam."

Everyone leaned forward in interest as Yukimaru explained. "Not long after Snow Melody was destroyed by the fake Zenon, a warrior came to our ruined village. He called himself Aleph, and he took pity on us, zam. Fubuki and I were just children then, and the only surviving Elder was too badly wounded to properly teach us the ninjitsu style of the Snow Clan, our yukijutsu, zam. But this man, Aleph, after one short, inexperienced demonstration we gave to him, he instantly picked up on the subtleties of the style, zam. What's more, he was able to correct its flaws, making it swifter, harsher. He stayed in the village, helped rebuild it somewhat and worked with both Fubuki and I to advance and to refine the yukijutsu, zam. While it was up to my brother and I to revive to integrate weaponry into the style, without him the core of yukijutsu would have been lost without a doubt."

"So, a master of martial arts, huh?" Adell asked, pounding his fist into his palm.

"Not a master, no…" Yukimaru sighed. "How can I explain this… the way he just knew how our style worked and knew how to improve it… it wasn't like he had mastered the style, zam. It's like he understood it's true, perfected form, and was showing us the errors in the style ingrained by thousands of years of improper application of the art, zam. If this Tav and the Aleph who trained me are truly one and the same, we mustn't underestimate him. If Zenon's power lead to her reputation as God of Overlords, then in the same vein we must treat Tav as a God of Warriors, zam."

"And if he's working with Cinos, then it's not a stretch to say that bastard of a sorcerer is his equal," scowled Jericho. "Dammit, this is getting bigger than we expected…"

"We should join forces," Almaz blurted out. The entire group turned to look at him, and his face grew red as he explained. "I mean, there's a hundred reasons why we need to stop these guys. We'd do it better as a team. We both want to stop them, so… yeah…"

"Sir Almaz is right," Yukimaru said. "If these demons are working together to hunt down Zenon and cause chaos, then it only make sense for us to work together in opposition, zam."

Adell nodded. "Yeah, count me in too." He glanced over at Rozalin, who simply nodded in agreement.

Almaz beamed, and glanced over at Aria. She gave him a look that said _'you really need to ask?'_

Jericho just shrugged. "Can't be helped, I suppose. If the Overlord decrees it…"

"As long as we're all partners in this endeavour, I have something to tell you…" said Rozalin, speaking up at last. Adell and Yukimaru looked at her, concerned expressions on their faces. Adell placed his hand on top of hers.

"Roz…" he began, but she simply smiled at him, shaking her head slightly.

"This man, Tav, his objective is to track down Zenon, and kill her," Rozalin said to Almaz. "He claims he's doing it to free the soul of his friend,

Jericho frowned, picking up on the emphasis of her words. "Why do you all keep referring to Zenon as a woman? Do you really know who the true Zenon is?"

Rozalin nodded, squeezing Adell's hand. "That is what I'm about to say. If his objective is Zenon, then sooner or later he will come to hunt me down. It's inevitable, because… in a past life, I was his quarry. I am Rozalin, Overlord Incarnate, the reborn soul of Zenon, God of Overlords."

"Oh, okay," said Almaz, a bit surprised. "Makes sense, if I think about it. Well, that doesn't change the fact that… uh…" Almaz glanced beside him to see Aria and Jericho staring at Rozalin, catatonic with shock.

Jericho recovered first. "You… you're Zenon? For real?"

Rozalin smirked. "I assure you, it is no joke. If I wished to, I could annihilate you with a single glance."

Jericho scoffed, and Rozalin glared at him with eyes colder than the blizzard he had almost been killed by in Snow Melody.

Seeing the samurai recoil, Aria grinned. "I like her!"

"Well, this doesn't change anything," Almaz insisted, holding out his hand to Rozalin. "As Overlord Hero to Overlord Incarnate, I'm offering a helping hand."

Rozalin took his hand and shook it lightly. "And I thank you."

Adell clapped his hands together. "Alright, now that that's taken care of, how do we find these guys?"

"With our luck, they'll come to us, zam," Yukimaru said, getting up. "I will return to my village and speak with my brother. Perhaps Fubuki will remember more about Aleph than I do. Until then," she bowed deeply to Almaz, a smile on her face. "I look forward to fighting alongside you again, Sir Almaz. May you fare well until I return, zam."

"You too," Almaz replied, returning the smile. As the kunoichi left, he saw Aria grinning, giggling slightly. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing. It just looks like you have a fa~an, that's all," Aria replied with a sing-song voice. Almaz blushed and stammered denials, which Aria waived away. "Yeah, sure. Just don't let Sapphire find out, okay?"

Almaz stopped. "Sapphire? Oh, crap, Sapphire! I need to find out if she's okay!"

Adell, who had been watching the scene with amusement, raised an eyebrow. "Who's Sapphire?"

"His girlfriend," Jericho replied.

"She's not my girlfriend!" whined Almaz, sounding more depressed than annoyed.

"His girlfriend without benefits," Aria clarified with a grin at Almaz's expense. Seeing her Overlord's glare, she smiled genuinely. "Hey, that sorcerer was full of crap, I'm sure she's fine. Look, check on TV or something, if she got home it'd be sure to make the news."

As Almaz scrambled for the TV set in the corner, Rozalin turned to Aria. "Why is he so worried? Is she in danger?"

"Almaz can get pretty overprotective," Aria said, shrugging. "Sapphire's a tough girl, but after he became Overlord there was a bit of a falling out between them, and she wound up getting stranded in the human world. That, and Cinos said he spoke to her, so..."

Almaz exclaimed happily as he finally found a channel broadcasting news about Rhodonite.

_~"…and Rhodonite breaths a sigh of relief as their saviour, Princess Sapphire, returns to them after a month long absence! She's making a lot of waves too, with no explanation given for her disappearance, and a wolf demon at her heels to boot!"~_

"She got home…" Almaz whispered in relief. He let out a breath he had been holding in since Cinos first mentioned his princess.

"Wow, you have good service on that thing…" Aria said.

"And convenient timing…" Jericho muttered under his breath.

"Demonic Cable. Six hundred and sixty-six channels, but there still isn't anything to watch," joked Adell.

_~"What's you're take on the story, Axel?"~_ the stitched rabbit anchor sitting on Pleinair's lap asked the smirking blonde demon to his left.

Adell groaned. "Ugh. This is what I meant."

The blonde demon leaned forward to take up more of the camera's attention. ~_"Well Serena-"~_

_~"__Usagi."~_

_~"__Whatever. It's obvious that the Princess heard about my super-galactic-wide concert tour and couldn't wait to get back to Rhodonite to prepare. Everyone knows she's a huge fan of mine. I get letters all the time."~_

"Who the hell is this guy?" snapped Almaz. No, he was not jealous and panicky. He just didn't like people taking behind Sapphire's back like that.

"He's Axel, and he's an idiot," said Adell, rolling his eyes. "Don't bother getting angry at him, he's harmless, and besides, karma will kick him in the ass in five… four… three… two…"

A gunshot echoed from the TV and on the screen Axel dove under the newscaster table with a squeal of terror. His co-anchor, Pleinair, remained motionless and began idly chewing on Usagi, assured in the knowledge that someone from her inexplicable fanbase would protect her from any harm.

_~"AAAAXEEELLL!"~_ shrieked a woman, and a figure appeared on-screen. In front of the camera, a girl with short black hair, wearing a white jacket over a black tank-top and shorts combination, raised two pistols and started to fire haphazardly around the room. ~_"AXEL! Get out here! I'll make you pay for ruining my movie career!"~_

Sure enough, several fanboys dived in the way of the bullets heading for Pleinair. Their bleeding, motionless bodies made excellent footrests.

It was the happiest day of their lives.

_~"Looks like it's one of my crazy fangirls, Dark Hero fans!"~ _Axel's voice said as the woman continued her rampage. ~_"I'll take care of this in no time flat! Till then, enjoy this propaganda from our sponsors!"~_ The image immediately switched to commercials, leaving the stunned group watching an advert for Aramis' Freshly Squeezed Zombie Juice (now with 30% more brains!).

"Huh. You weren't kidding about the karma thing…" said Almaz.

"Was that… Asagi?" Adell wondered aloud, scratching his head. "She seemed taller than three years ago… then again, people did usually seem bigger on TV. Or something. Well, anyway, we still have that weird possessed sword to deal with. It said it wanted you to wield it."

"Ew, possessed weaponry," Aria said, her nose wrinkling in disgust. "Lord Almaz, don't touch that thing, you don't know where it's been. Or who, for that matter."

"I have to deal with it eventually," he shrugged. "Where did you put it?" he asked Adell.

"In the freezer," the red-head replied.

"… and you think it's safe there?" Almaz asked sceptically.

"Well, safe-er," Adell shrugged. "We put it behind a decade-old casserole. Hanako's first cooking experiment."

"Ah. Sounds foolproof," Jericho said with a sarcastic smirk.

"You obviously haven't seen the casserole," Adell replied with a grin. "Just don't tell my sister I said that."

"I heard that!" a shrill voice yelled, and Adell cringed and turned to see his little sister standing in the doorframe beside their mother. "I manage to slip away from Lady Etna's training to pay my dear family a visit, and the first thing you do is insult my cooking?" She ran up to Adell and kicked him in the shins. "Just for that, no dinner for you!"

As Hanako and Adell began to bicker, Rozalin moved over to speak to Almaz and Aria. "At any rate, it's good to see your friend got home safely. What are you planning to do now?"

Almaz shrugged. "Well, I suppose we'll find an inn or something. It'd be safer to stay in the village in case either of those guys come back…"

"Nonsense!" Adell's mother said, striding into the room and butting in on the conversation. "There's plenty of room here if you're need a place to stay for the night."

"Thank you, Mrs… uh…" Almaz suddenly realised he didn't even know their full names.

"Just call me 'Adell's mom'. Everybody else does," she replied with a catlike grin. For the life of him, Almaz couldn't tell whether it was a joke or sincere.

"O-okay… uh, 'Adell's mom'… thanks for your hospitality?" he said hesitantly.

"Don't mention it!" she replied brightly. "Just treat it like your own home. Oh, and Hanako?" She turned to her daughter, who had set some sort of slime monster from a jar at her older brother. Taro, the boy Aria had mentioned, who came to see what was going on, cowered in a corner.

Hanako smiled sweetly, the picture of innocence. "Yes Mom?"

Adell's mom mirrored the smile perfectly. "Stop making such a commotion while we have guests or I'll boil your eyes out and use your bones for soup stock."

Hanako squeaked fearfully and ran from the room, while Adell glared at his mother. "Devil woman! What's your excuse this time! Unlike Hanako and Taro, you're not a demon anymore!"

His mother just shrugged, smiling that catlike smile of hers. "Oho, I suppose it was a relapse? Fifteen years is a long time to be under a curse…"

Almaz stared at the bizarre scene with an odd feeling in his chest. _'Wow, what a weird household… then again, I've been in the Netherworld so long, I've only had time to survive most of the time…' _It had been a long time since he had seen a comfortable home. Even at his own house, his mother was always working and his father was always on business trips abroad. Part of him had doubted either of them would have even noticed his absence when he set out on his grand quest, over two months ago now.

Had it really only been two months? And there was still so much he needed to do! He needed to get back to the Academy and start fixing the damage Aurum had caused. But before that, he needed to get the rest of the school factions on his side, starting with his friends. But right now, they were stuck on Veldime, and the priority, the most urgent matter at hand was stopping Cinos and helping these new… allies? Friends? There was so much work ahead of him…

But… seeing Adell argue with his mother, seeing his siblings poke their heads around the doorframe to listen in, seeing Rozalin roll her eyes at this clearly familiar scene, it just reminded Almaz of another thing he needed to take care of.

"Um… could I use your phone?"

Rozalin turned her face to Adell. "You. Oaf. Almaz here wants to make a phone call."

"Its in the hall, just there," Adell said, his mind automatically filtering out the 'oaf' comment.

"Is it local?" his mother asked.

Almaz stared at them, glanced at an amused Aria, then looked back. "…Yes?"

* * *

Mir sighed, opening the door to her empty house with one hand, while balancing an armful of files in the other. Closing the door behind her, she reached behind her neck and started massaging her aching shoulders.

The house was so quiet.

Not too long ago, her son would have been here at least, there to welcome her home and perhaps have something warm for her to drink. Sometimes it was tough, being an important faculty member of the Royal Administration, and she was used to persevering through it, used to coming home with her husband away overseas on business trips, used to being too tired to spend as much time with her son as he deserved.

But she still wasn't used to this empty house. Two months now and the quiet, the coldness of her home still hit her every time she opened the door.

And she had been so hopeful! So anxious, when she heard her Highness Princess Sapphire had returned, she had actually almost believed that there was hope for her son too. And the king had given quiet support, reminding her in his own way that things mightn't be as dark as they appeared. Lt. Vincent, he too had given his support over the past few months, but it was a different kind, a safety net, assurances that even if the worst came to pass that life would go on.

She didn't even want to think about that possibility. But, at the same time, she appreciated Vincent's intentions. She knew that the woman he once loved had gone the same path as her son, the same path as the Princess, and it hadn't been a happy ending for him.

How cruel. How cruel that, even if you hope, and pray, and beg the powers that be, you may never find an answer.

Still, she held onto hope, held onto the dream that someday soon she would hear her son's voice again.

The ringing of the telephone snapped her from her thoughts. Sighing, she hefted the heavy files into a better position on her arm and picked up the receiver, holding it to her ear.

"Almandine Von Adamant residence, Mir speaking," she answered tiredly. "Who is this?"

The other end was quiet for a second, an anxious silence. Then…

_"…Hi, Mom. It's me, Almaz."_

"ALMAZ!"

The files fell to the floor, scattered and forgotten.

* * *

_Chapter 12 -end-_

* * *

Varanotes: DUNdunDUN! And yeah, that's why Secretary Mir is important. Incidentally, both Almaz and Mir are the names of Russian Space Station projects. Yeah, I am the pinnacle of originality here. _That's_ why I called her Mir, Vehrec! That's all! You're safe here!

And more cameos! Woo! Yeah, it's minor, but it's a hint at what's to come. I love Asagi too much to leave her out of the chaos that's about to ensue.

Hope I didn't bog you down with Tav's backstory. It was tricky to write, because I knew I needed to show why he was involved, but I didn't want to make it stereotypically wangsty or sueish or, heaven forbid, boring. The name Etoile should be ringing alarm bells, at any rate. Humor me, and tell me you were entertained. Anyways, glad that's out of the way, we can move onto the action now!

I took the opportunity to delve into Phoenix's personality too. This chapter turned out a lot more villain centric than I intended. Hell, this entire arc is very antagonist heavy, but I've got to take this chance to flesh them out now because things are going to pick up some serious speed later on, so I hope it stays interesting for you all. Leave a comment with how you thought I handled that scene, please!

And yes, Tav has three names. He's Aleph to family, Tav to friends, and Etem for when he means business. There's a reason for that just like there was a reason for Mir's name. As a side note, he's told Cinos a thousand times to call him Aleph, but that heretic is surprisingly hung up on formalities. Or maybe he just doesn't like the brawler (Hint: he doesn't). They would be great in a buddy cop show though. "Him? A private dick? Nah, he's just a regular one."

By the way, the answer to last week's question was the hidden option…

D) All of the above! Simply because, you can be earnest and truthful while still emotionally manipulating someone into doing what you want. Phoenix enjoys these kind of things. And setting a clone on fire totally counts, she didn't know it was a clone at the time.

So, yeah. Everybody wins!

Until next time,

-Varanus


	13. The Calm

Thank you NightmareSyndrom, Gloom-shroom, The Ansem Man, General Generic, Hefner J, Insanity Lord, Vehrec, Anonymous and jelly turtle (twice!) for your reviews!

(Deep breath)

Awesome stuff guys. It bears repeating: you rock.

* * *

**Fail to the King!**

* * *

_Chapter 13 – __The Calm _

* * *

Tav reached for the door, and hesitated for a fraction of a second before he pulled it open. "Alright Cinos, I -" His words dried up when he saw the sorcerer, doing research.

For Cinos, research was an art unto itself.

He was sitting in the centre of a floating orb of books and paper that rotated around him like moons orbiting the earth. He seemed to be in a trance, his fingers twitching slightly as his blank gaze took in the sight of several books at once, their pages turning as if the wind was passing over them. It was like a galaxy of information, and Cinos was the black hole tying it all together, devouring every last scrap of knowledge on every last scrap of paper.

Tav was still staring in surprise at this show when a random book broke from it's orbit and flew towards him. He caught it in hand and gave it a glance. "What's this?"

"The book you tossed at me earlier," Cinos replied, keeping his gaze unfocused, absorbing every last detail of the pages that flew past him. "Read the first page."

Tav flicked the book open and frowned at the title. "The hell is this?" he asked, confused.

"A record of the daily life of Overlord Zenon's daughter," Cinos replied, books still spinning around him. "It looks like the final clue really was in your grip after all. And if it wasn't for me, you would have tossed it aside without a second thought."

Tav scowled. "So what are you trying to say? Are you offering to help still, or are you just being smug?"

Cinos' gaze finally focused as he looked back at Tav, a rare grin poking at his face. "Can't it be both?"

Tav scowled for as long as he could, but couldn't hold back a quick bark of laughter. _'It's starting to feel like old times again,'_ he thought, looking back at Cinos, who was returning to his studies.

"You know, I'm not stupid," Tav said amicably. Cinos considered raising a sarcastic eyebrow, but since his back was turned to Tav he figured it would be a waste of effort. "You're here, doing research I never asked you to do, and I'm here, too busy dealing with my hunt to guide you where you want to go. I know what you're thinking."

That got Cinos' attention. "Oh?" the heretic asked, the floating books around him slowing for a moment.

"Yeah," nodded Tav. "Under normal circumstances, you could just open a gate to reach anywhere you want to go. But this place, it's beyond the reach of your influence -"

"Why are you being so stubborn?" Cinos said, cutting the brawler off. "You've already made your decision."

"Have I, now?" Tav asked, crossing his arms.

"Doors open to you, Etem." Cinos replied sternly. "When you choose a destination, a path is made clear. Do you really think it was a coincidence I just happened to choose this _particular_ ruin as my base of operations during my stay here? Because I can tell you, I didn't plan to stumble upon the home of Zenon's daughter."

Tav grinned bitterly. "What, so it was my… providence, is that what you're saying?"

Cinos shrugged. "If it was, you've already made your decision."

"**B**ring **M**e **T**o **Z**enon, **A**nd **I**'ll **B**ring **Y**ou **T**o **T**he **C**entre **O**f **R**eality," Tav said firmly, his voice resonant with power.

"**I** **A**ccept **T**hose **T**erms," replied Cinos, sealing the pact.

And just like that, no more words were necessary. They both fell in step beside each other, working once more for a common goal. Tav set out several phantom doubles to look for similar vaults for information, while Cinos silently made note of every last detail, sorting books and memos out into relevant piles. Some rooms were burnt out thoroughly, any intel inside lost forever, while others in the farthest wings had only suffered minor damage.

"There must have been some sort of information purge here, but was interrupted," muttered Cinos absently. "That's the only explanation for why certain parts of this mansion were meticulously destroyed."

"Either way, it's a dead-end for anything new," grumbled Tav. "I saw years old bloodstains in the hallways. Wherever the former employees are, they're dead and gone now."

"Don't be so sure." Cinos said. "I encountered a demon here who quickly fled when I confronted him. But, look here," he motioned with his hand and a book flew into it, opening at the exact page he wanted. "This is a manifesto of employees. This one here, a demon named Tink, was that same demon I encountered."

"So we find him, we find the daughter, and we find Zenon." Tav grinned, pounding a fist into his palm.

The sorcerer nodded. "That's the idea, at any rate. However, there may be a snag…" Cinos said, his eyes trailing back to the orbiting books. "There is no indication anywhere here that Zenon ever even graced this mansion's presence, let alone visit this daughter of his."

"Prick… even ignoring his family?" growled Tav.

Cinos rolled his eyes. "Well, there is _that_, but I was more concerned with the fact that there is no way to track Zenon's true home as a result."

"Ah!" grinned Tav. "Now, there, I can help. A few years ago there was a big shake-up over Zenon's location."

Cinos nodded. "I'm aware of that, but it was a hoax, wasn't it?"

Tav's grin widened. "If it was a hoax… why did I sense Zenon's presence there? A massive surge of demonic power, channelled right through Etoile's power, just like what I felt nearly twenty years ago. There was no mistaking it, Zenon was there. When I went there, there was no trace of him, but I didn't exactly stop to browse his book collection, you know?"

Cinos frowned thoughtfully. "Interesting. I'll head there immediately once I finish reading these."

"So what about that employee guy?" Tav asked.

A thin notebook fell into the brawler's hands. "That's his diary, if you're so interested," said Cinos, returning to his books.

Tav flicked through a couple of pages and stopped at an illustration. For a little pen doodle, it was a pretty good drawing of a young girl in a nice dress. She was looking out of a window, which implied the sketch was just a hasty one drawn without permission, but Tav couldn't help but think the girl was somewhat familiar…

He shut the diary, making a mental note of that familiarly. "So how are we going to track this 'Tink' down, anyway?"

"Simple," replied Cinos. "Phoenix will handle the hunt."

* * *

A lesson that anyone who lives and fights in the Netherworld learns quickly is the power of mana. Mana is life energy, and it forms the basis of the very matter the Netherworld and the demons within are comprised of. After all, mass and energy are just two sides of the same coin. Demons like Monty were the best example of how demons are, in essence, simply a bundle of energy driven by the sheer willpower of a soul.

In the Netherworld, victory is the key to strength – when one soul dominates another in battle, a huge surge of mana flows into the victor. While some of the mana is able to be manipulated into special skills and spells, or even used as impromptu currency, most of this surge of energy builds up in a demon and clings onto their soul. If a certain level of mana is reached it will strengthen muscle, limber joints, sharpen eye-sight and speed-up reaction time. It can even build up in the skin as a ward against other mana attacks and magic, or as a means of boosting those same spell's power.

This phenomenon is casually referred to as 'levelling up'. That was why mana is so valuable to the weak demons in the various Dark Assemblies throughout the worlds in the universe – how else are a bunch of demons too afraid to leave their meeting chambers supposed to get strong? Money isn't power. _Power_ is power.

Jericho prided himself on this knowledge and understanding of mana. It was something that most of his fellow warriors ignored, and it was the reason he had ascended to Master Big Star's right hand. While other demons stagnated under the simplicity of their transmigrated compulsions, he used it to his advantage. He constantly transmigrated into different forms in order to gain new insight into how the sword could be put to use, how to further refine his mind, body and senses into a weapon. He had already transmigrated into a samurai twenty times now.

Something he had picked up from his several lifetimes as a ninja was the importance of the senses. He had focused his mana then on his reaction speed by loosening his joints and heightening his eyesight well enough to see in near pitch black, his nose strong enough to detect a person by the scent of their blood, and his ears strong enough to withstand a foghorn but still sharp enough to hear a leaf fall to the ground.

At least, that's what he boasted. True or not, his hearing _was_ very good, which was a double-edged sword when he couldn't simply drown out a noise that was frustrating him for reasons he wasn't entirely sure about.

Case in point, the great Overlord Hero having a phone call with his mother.

"No, Mom, I'm… yes, I'm fine. Really, I'm a hundred percent… no… yes, I'm… I'm with friends… yeah, I was in the Netherworld, but… right now? Veldime… Yes, the planet, Veldime… yes really… Mom, I… Mom, please stop crying… yeah, I missed you too…"

The Overlord was comforting a crying lady. That was what did it. That was the hair that broke his back. Jericho rose from his seated position at the back of the living room and strode out of the room, coming face to face with Lord Almaz.

"I'm just going to scout the village and find the Dark Assembly; hopefully we can open a gate back to the Academy by morning," he said, then added "Lord Almaz."

Almaz, clearly caught between the samurai and the phone, gaped for a moment before managing to say, "It's getting dark."

"I'll be fine," Jericho said in a definite tone. "Better to scout now than waste time in the morning, Lord Almaz."

A woman's voice from the phone started making worried noises, so Almaz just nodded and waved Jericho on his way. As he passed, he heard the lady's voice say _~"…what? Lord…?"~_

Jericho scowled as he left, realising he might have caused his noble _master_ an _inconvenience_. So he created a problem. Who cared? Almaz was creating enough as it was. "Damn kid…" he hissed as he walked down the paved path into the village that was bathed in the light of the setting sun. "He's just a damn kid…"

"And why is that such a problem?" a voice asked. Jericho almost chuckled, and glanced back to see Aria. If she had really become a good enough ninja to sneak up on him in only a month, then what the _hell_ had he been doing all these years?

He didn't answer her, instead just kept walking.

She made an annoyed huff behind him. "You're not even giving him a chance, just picking and picking at little things that aren't even issues. You're obsessed."

"I suppose you're good at recognising when someone's obsessed then?" Jericho sighed, before muttering under his breath. "Considering you see it every time you look in the mirror…"

"There you are again," Aria said. "Passive-aggressive. Doesn't suit you, I can tell you that much."

Jericho didn't reply, and a heavy silence weighed them down.

Aria changed tactics. "Jericho, how old are you? I'm two-thousand, two-hundred and seventy-four."

Jericho frowned at the odd question, but answered anyway. "Three-thousand and three hundred years."

"On the dot?" Aria arched an eyebrow.

"Yup. This was supposed to be a 'lucky' year," he said cynically, but cracked a tiny smile regardless. "What's this about?"

"It's almost crazy how long we can live, isn't it?" Aria asked. "I mean, I spent years, literally centuries just loafing around the academy, sleeping, getting into scuffles that didn't really mean anything, laughing at delinquents, you know?"

Jericho nodded. "TCD, like I was saying. Just because we can use mana to make our bodies the playthings of our minds doesn't mean it won't work in reverse. It's easier to just go with the flow than actually challenge your limits, after all."

Aria let the TCD mention slide, putting it at the back of her head. "Yeah, I know. I've grown strong… not as strong as I need to be, but close…" she said, her hand involuntarily touching the ghosts of the stab wounds Phoenix gave her. "And it's made me think… what was it like for the first person who discovered fire?"

"What?" Jericho's brow furrowed, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, imagine what it must have been like, in the beginning," Aria replied, making a vague motion with her hands. "I don't know, hunting demons with a spear made of a branch and flint, or a stone axe. Just barely existing. Then, a lightning bolt hits a tree or something and someone, a kid maybe, discovers a branch on fire. I bet, at first, a bunch of people got their fingers burned and wanted nothing to do with it, but that kid obviously saw it's potential. They used it to cook meat, light up the night and heat their… I don't know, caves or whatever, and suddenly people start grouping together. They work together, learn how to use fire, learn it can heat and melt metal so they make better weapons, and soon, society emerges. But, for that first person who held a torch of fire for the fist time in history… how scary must that have been? A total… ah… what's the word… paradigm shift. A change in perspective. If they had just dropped that branch and let the fire go out… where would we be now? And…"

Jericho stared at her, slightly in awe. "And…?"

"…and I think… that Lord Almaz is holding that branch of fire, even if he doesn't realise it," Aria said. "It's just a feeling… but if I've grown this strong without even realising it, simply because I was fighting beside that torch… then I want to see just where it'll take me in the end. Where it'll take the Netherworld. Even if he hasn't done anything with it yet, hasn't figured out how to share it, I don't want him to drop his torch. So I'll help him hold it up, even if I might burn my fingers. I really… can't explain it better than that…"

Jericho simply nodded slowly, sombrely absorbing her words. He gave her a cool, even look, then turned and walked away, into the little town that was quickly growing dark with the arrival of dusk.

"Don't be gone too long, we need to set up a watch rota," Aria called after him. He waved an arm, but didn't turn back.

* * *

"Hmm… fascinating…" Mao muttered, jotting down his observations of the Invincible Geo Block he was experimenting with. He had often used this block to set up targets to practice his evil techniques on, with a machine that measured power levels sitting on a Geo Panel that benefited from the cube's effects.

When Mao had tested his new axe out on it, the machine spluttered several incoherent numbers and symbols (some of which Mao was certain he never programmed into it), began to spark and shudder violently before suddenly exploding, sending twisted pieces of metal and flames around his lab, setting off a further series of explosions. Before he knew it, his entire laboratory was on fire. So, Mao did what anyone else would have done in the situation and began to take notes and jot theories about why the invincible effect hadn't worked.

Mao began to measure how far the debris had shot when he noticed the Geo Block in question. A hairline crack had appeared running up the side. Curious, Mao nudged it with the axe. The block shuddered, splitting up as cracks appeared all along the face of the block. Pieces began to slide off and the entire block began bubbling, before totally giving way and melting into a goopy puddle of slag.

But, the most fascinating part was when _[__he managed to catch Almaz's sword rushing for him with his own at a 37 degree angle- not optimum but still with enough power to deflect it. Almaz rushed past him and Mao stepped back, several dozen counter-tactics forming in his mind in an instant. _

_He decided to go with plan '12-D', since that could develop into any of the 'J' tagged contingencies as the situation demanded. As Almaz skidded to a halt on the marble floors, Mao] _dropped the axe with a clatter and stumbled backwards, disorientated. For a moment there he felt like he was back in his father's throne room, fighting Almaz once again.

"What the hell was that?" Mao scowled, looking around the room. How _dare _someone force him to remember that day! "Who's there? Is there a spy here? Was that some sort of memo-ray?" He paused, sensing no-one.

So, was it a long range effect? He grinned, considering the implications. "Fascinating! If I can get my hands on something like that and develop it, no secrets would be hidden from me! I'd be seen as the greatest terror that ever existed, striking at my enemies' greatest weak points!"

Still, picking up the axe, he couldn't help but wonder how _[__did this damn fake-hero get so strong? Clearly, his observations over the past few days had been biased. Mao raised his sword to block Almaz's strike at a perfect 90 degree angle. The blades clashed, instead, at an 88 degree angle. Not good. Mao gritted his teeth. He was becoming rattled, letting all this pressure get to him, and as a result he wasn't computing as flawlessly as he regularly did. It was all this fake-hero's fault! How dare he defend Aurum!_

'_That does it, I'll show him,' Mao thought, making a quick calculation of success using a few predictions of Almaz's movements he had based on past observations. Finding the likelihood of success within acceptable range, he charged just as] _Rasberyl collided into him, knocking him over and making the class leader drop the axe again.

"R-Rasberyl? What the hell is your problem?"

"My problem?" she shrieked. "What's yours? You're acting all crazy, Mao!"

"Don't be an idiot Rasberyl, of course I'm crazy," Mao snapped, rolling his eyes. "No self-respecting Overlord candidate like me needs something as useless as sanity!"

"No, I mean weird crazy!" she said, waving her arms around. "Look what you did to your lab!"

"What the hell do you – oh…" He looked around to see his laboratory in shambles, his equipment smashed and test subjects quickly scurrying to freedom. One of the walls had been smashed through, and the class on the other side was looking fearfully into the lab at Mao. He glared at them and they hastily fled, leaving the teacher buried under the rubble.

Rasberyl crossed her arms, assured of her victory in their argument.

Mao shrugged. "Meh, I was planning on redecorating anyway. My 3.8 Billion EQ was sufficient to let me do it without me even being aware of it, that's all."

"Okay, _that _is _it!_" snapped Rasberyl, jumping up to grab him by his ear. "You need to get out of here. C'mon Mao, we're going to go on some charity work!"

"Ow! What? No!" Mao pulled away from her and leered. Rasberyl returned the leer with equal ferocity, and Mao had to suppress a smirk. As expected of his rival, to have a fiery look equal to his icy glare. Keeping his face locked onto his mask of annoyance, he snorted. "What did you even come here to say, anyway?"

"I wanted to know something. Where were you the other day, during the invasion?" Rasberyl asked.

"Cleaning up Almaz's mess, what's it to you?" replied Mao dismissively.

"So, you _were_ worried about him?" Rasberyl needled him.

"Ha! As if," he scoffed. "I just need him to keep it together until I perfect my plan on destroying him and taking my place as the true ruler of Evil Academy."

"And that's why you helped out. Because you need to protect the netherworld until then."

"Exactly. Now you're catching on, Beryl. Much quicker than usual too, bravo."

Rasberyl smirked, and Mao became worried. "Oh, that's good," she said casually. "For a while there I thought you had helped in order to show Almaz up. It's good to see you had the Academy's best interest at heart after all."

Mao gaped at her and turned away, annoyed at her temporary victory. "It's just smart. Can't rule a netherworld that's been destroyed, after all."

"Glad you agree. So let's start reconstruction and do some charity work!" Rasberyl said, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him forward.

"Wait, wait, wait!" he shouted, pulling away. She scowled, her tome appearing in thin air, and he raised his arms defensively. "Alright! Fine, I'll play along!" he said, turning to grab his axe. "Just let me grab this, I don't want some idiot stealing it."

Before his hand reached it, he froze. The memories, the flashbacks he was having – both times they had been broken at the same time that he had dropped the axe. Could it be related? This axe was greater than any other weapon he had wielded… could it have a presence of it's own? Theoretically, it was possible for a weapon to gain sentience, if someone had used it long enough. But if it was affecting memories and perceptions of reality, it was more than likely a cursed weapon.

The rule of thumb with cursed weapons was this- if you need one to be powerful, you never will be. Nothing good or useful came to the wielders of cursed weapons… but that said, Mao was better than those posers, clinging onto their weapons and hiding behind their blades. He didn't need an axe or sword to prove he was powerful. He picked the axe up and turned _[__to the fake hero, clutching his wounds and staring at him with disbelief. He lost? Mao, the son of the Overlord lost? Impossible! This was just…_

"_Are you awake now, Mao?" Almaz asked, concern in his voice._

_Damn him! Damn him for standing in his way! For pretending to be his friend! If he was a true friend he'd step aside! Aurum ruined everything! The Super Hero wouldn't be satisfied with just Mao's death, he'd keep on fighting and destroying until everything his dad built was gone! Dad couldn't rest until…_

"…_**YOU… MY SON…"**_

_Mao froze, hearing his father's voice. In shock and disbelief, he heard his father… praise the fake hero for defeating Mao… and… and… crown… him… as…!_

"_Don't be stupid!" Mao yelled at his father. "An Overlord has to be great and strong! What could a coward like him do!"_

"_**HE DID BEAT YOU," **__his father said lightly. _

"_That was just a coincidence! A fluke! My calculations were off a bit!" protested Mao._

'**They must have been, for you to turn against a friend as you did,'** _his father replied sternly, his voice echoing into Mao's mind. Mao gaped, unable to move._

'**Listen to me, Mao. One day… you will be a great Overlord, greater than I, but you must let go of this… need for revenge.**** I have held you in my heart for so long, which is why I, with the final ounce of my power, can share this last wisdom with you. Heed my words, my son. Store these words into the vault of your heart.' **

_Mao couldn't move, completely overwhelmed by his father's power. All he could do was listen to his father's final words._

'**You cannot move forward if you do nothing but turn to ****strike the one that has stabbed your back. You are strong enough to withstand their blade. Your stride is long enough to outpace their reach. And you have friends, friends who will guard your back just as you should, nay, **_**must**_** guard theirs.' **

'**I regret nothing but the fact that I could not watch over you any longer. In that respect, I am thankful to Aurum, for protecting you for so long. Forgive him, for he is a broken man who only sought what he believed to be happiness. Can you claim to be different?'**

_His voice started to fade, and Mao begged with every fibre of his being for his father to hold on, to keep talking, and to wait until he had a chance to apologise for…_

'**I leave responsibility of the netherworld in your human friend's hands. I know he will do well with this power. You, Mao, still must learn some things. But don't worry. I'm not disappointed in you. I am proud, so very proud to be your father.'**

_The room filled with bright light, and through the connection with his father, Mao felt a wave of calm and peace. So… he really was passing over…_

'**Now… go show the netherworld… show the universe… the reason for my pride…'**

_Mao breathed out with a shuddering sigh. His father… was gone. And now, he had trusted Almaz with the care of his Netherworld. If his dad saw that ex-fake hero as someone capable of watching over the world, well, there was..._

"_Hey, Mao, say something!" came Almaz's desperate plea._

"…_I understand how you feel, Dad." Mao said. Almaz's eyes boggled in disbelief, and Mao grinned slightly. So, his father wanted him to prove himself as worthy of being Overlord? He looked Almaz directly in the eye. "Fine then. I will retreat to my room and begin researching and experimenting on how to defeat you! Overlord Almaz!" he declared, walking past his friend. "Prepare for my return!"_

_With that, he stormed from the throne room, his vassals automatically following in his wake. He ignored Almaz's cry of disbelief. He ignored his vassals nervous questioning. He ignored everything, instead swimming in the thoughts, theories, ideas and plans that filled his mind like a vast, dark ocean. Yes, he would prove himself. No one would be able to question his right, his capability._

_And so, with that thought, he strode out of his castle and turned]_ to face Rasberyl, who was giving him a strange look.

"You weren't moving for a second there. You okay?" she asked, concerned.

Mao grinned. "Never better." Hefting the axe onto his shoulder, he walked right past his rival out into Evil Academy.

Mao thought for a moment that he felt the axe shudder, that he imagined a whisper on the wind that said _this isn't over_. Mao replied, _'Bring it on'_, his grin only growing wider.

* * *

Back in Snow Melody, Fubuki solemnly considered what course of action to take after hearing Yukimaru's findings.

"This is a great problem… if it truly is Master Aleph, then we do certainly owe him a great debt of honour for helping preserve our culture…"

"But what about our sister, Rozalin?" said Yukimaru. "Surely –"

"This isn't about honour, Yukimaru," Fubuki said softly. Yukimaru opened her mouth to protest, but a raised hand cut her off. "No… this is about family. We owe him much, but we will not repay him with the blood of our people, regardless of their past lives. Stand with Rozalin, Yukimaru. Your mission is to dissuade Master Aleph from his path, and knock him from it should he refuse."

Yukimaru nodded and rose to leave. "One thing I want you to remember, sister," her brother said as she turned for the sliding screen. She looked up at him and his sightless eyes seemed to meet hers. "If the situation turns foul, above all else, obey the final edict of our new ninja way. Complete the mission, and live. Remember that, sister."

She smiled as she left the room to retire for the night. "Of course, brother. After all, I was the one to introduce it, zam."

* * *

"_What? Lord? What did that __man say?"_ Mir asked. She wasn't really thinking straight, as Almaz's call had both lifted a huge weight off her shoulders and opened the floodgate of emotions she had been holding back for almost two months now. _"Did that man call you 'Lord'? Was he a demon?"_

"I… uh, yeah, he called me Lord," said Almaz, not wanting to worry his mother with the knowledge of his 'promotion' but also not wanting to lie to her. "I helped some demons out with a problem they were having, and some of them started calling me Lord, you know? Uh… like a nickname, sort of."

Titles were kind of nicknames, weren't they?

"_You're spending time with demons? Are you all right?"_ Mir asked franticly.

"Yeah, yeah, I told you, I'm fine," Almaz tried to reassure her. "Most demons are just normal people, really…"

"_So you're safe? When __the Princess returned, I had hoped she had some news, but she hasn't said anything about what happened, apart from the fact that she tamed one of those demon wolves…"_

"O-oh…" Almaz muttered. Sapphire hadn't even mentioned him? He shook his head. No, it didn't mean anything. Maybe she kept quiet about him for the same reason he did about his inheriting the title of Overlord.

His mother seemed to pick up it though. _"Did you meet the Princess in the Netherworld?"_

"I- uh… if I did, wouldn't I have come back with her?" Almaz said quickly.

"_Almaz, please…" _Mir insisted._ "Are you alright? What happened?"_

The door behind him creaked open and he turned to see Aria walk into the house.

"Nothing happened, I'm fine, see? Ask Aria!" Almaz said hurriedly, shoving the receiver into her hands.

"Uh… hello? Ms Almaz' mom?" she asked unsurely. Almaz winced and silently apologised.

Sighing, he turned around and smacked his head on the wall. Coward. He was just a coward, as usual. Honestly, running away from his own mother? _'Oh, sure, you throw yourself at super-powerful enemies and fight crazy powerful demons without much thought, but that's only because you know you're strong enough now to take it, isn't it?' _Almaz thought bitterly. _'At the end of the day you can't even – wait, did Aria just say "Overlord"?'_

He looked up sharply at Aria, who was cringing from her slip-up.

"No, no, no, I said Almaz was over_joyed._ Yes. Overjoyed. To be here. Helping us, and… what, the Lord thing? A joke? Ah… well… you'd be hard pressed to find a demon that takes it seriously, that's for sure! … Yes, I am a demon… NO! I mean… Uh huh. Yeah. Uh huh. Okay, here he is." She handed him the receiver with a grin, her hand covering the mouthpiece. "Here you go, Lord Almaz. It wasn't easy, but I managed to make it worse for you."

Almaz cringed, but grinned slightly nonetheless and took the phone from her, placing it to his ear. "Hello, Mom?"

"_Almaz… are you really all right?"_ his mother asked.

Almaz sighed and smiled. "Yeah. I'm sorry I didn't call before, but there weren't many phones in the Netherworld."

"_When are you coming home?"_ she asked.

Well, that was the question, wasn't it? "I… I'll come as soon as I can. It might be a little while longer though…"

"_That woman… is she really a demon?__ She didn't sound like one… She said you were helping them…"_

"Things are… a bit of a mess in the Netherworld right now…" Almaz said, not sure how to explain, exactly. "And… I'm able to do something about it. I've gotten strong enough to help… besides, I've made a bunch of friends."

"_With demons?"_ his mother asked. Not sceptically or accusingly, just unsure. Years of subconsciously fearing demonic attack made the idea of them being friendly difficult to swallow.

"That's… that's right," Almaz said, with a redundant nod of his head. "So, I'm going to help them out and, once I get some time free, I'll come back home. Until then, I'll call you as soon as I can, okay?"

Mir was surprised to hear the resolved tone in her son's voice. _"O-okay… just don't… let it be too long. Your father and I were… so worried."_

"I'll call soon, tomorrow if I can, okay?" Almaz compromised. "Goodnight, Mom."

"_Goodnight…"_ His mother's voice hitched, and she hung up before began sobbing into the phone again. Almaz sighed and stared blankly at the telephone, not sure what to think.

Aria cleared her throat, catching his attention. "I'm going to go on watch in case one of those demons from before shows up, is that alright?" she said. Almaz just nodded mutely, staring at the phone. Aria wasn't sure what to do – reassurances weren't her strong point.

She did have one idea though. "Lord Almaz, about the phone call… even with the best telephone service, there's a problem with calling other planets. A big problem. Huge."

Almaz looked at her, curious and slightly worried. "What is it?"

Aria mustered her gravest, most serious expression ever. "It's the rates, Lord Almaz. They're astronomical."

He stared mutely at her for a second, then turned on his heel and marched away. "Alright, we're done here," he said, deadpan. "I'm going to bed."

As he climbed the stairs of the house, Aria needed to strain her mana-strengthened hearing to pick up his quiet sniggering. Though, she didn't need much to imagine what the grin on his face looked like.

Strangely, she imagined it was lit with the light of a yellow fire burning on the end of a gnarled branch.

Aria smiled at the thought, and left to take care of the rest of her duties.

* * *

_Chapter 13 -end-_

* * *

Varanotes: So I hope that clears some stuff up with Aria. It's not that she has a crush, it's that she has a vision.

At first, I didn't like this chapter, because it felt almost like filler, but after finishing up the Veldime scenes I'm pretty happy with it.

Until next time,

-Varanus


	14. Bird of Prey I

And we're back! Many thanks to NightmareSyndrom, GeneralGeneric, The Ansem Man, Faaairyfairy, jellyturtle and Hefner J for your reviews!

And without further ado...

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**Fail to the King!**

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Chapter 14 – __Bird of Prey I

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The heart of a demon.

The heart of an angel.

The heart of a human.

The heart of a god.

In the end, they are all the same. Each one holds desires, beliefs, memories, values, morals, trauma and love. Each heart is different, as distinct and unique as a sunset seen through a child's eye, as a dragonfly spotted at the last second, as a secret smile that was never meant to be seen.

Hearts are precious and beautiful. That's a fact that everyone claims to know, but what few actually understand. They reflect the true being of a soul. For a demon like Mao, his trauma fractured his heart, but it mended and grew like crystal, shining despite himself. His heart manifested in that vast crystal wasteland, all sharp edges and harsh light, but his friends soon grew to understand it. At times, his heart was reflective to shun onlookers, but when viewed from another angle his heart and intentions became transparent. They realised that as they traversed it only a little care and a change in perspective was needed to understand its layout and find their way into the deepest reaches of his heart. Over time, they became quite good at it.

But no two hearts are alike. Where Mao's crystal wasteland lay in his heart, in Phoenix there was a white iron city, bathed in flames.

There was no sun in Phoenix's heart, but there was no need. The city was illuminated by its own light from the iron skyscrapers the glowed white-hot from the heat of the sea of fire in the streets below. Phantoms wandered the streets, roaming from building to building, from room to room, never accomplishing a thing; they simply remained silent as their very essence burned up from the heat, their existence maintained only by their own spite.

Phoenix had often mused, gazing from her sea of fire up to the black slate of a sky, that perhaps her city was built atop the sun, and the colossal white-iron fingers of her city stretched out into the cold universe. That could certainly be the case, because on days where she was tired and calm, she thought she could see a speck of blue in her black sky, another planet, another life that watched over the desolate city of fire.

It was so far away though… if it was a guardian, what could it possibly do? If she called for it, how could it possibly save her?

But thinking like that wasn't why she was here, bathing her soul in the warmth of her white city. Rising from the steps leading to the tallest tower in her city, where her own Vault rested, she walked down the street, letting the flames lick her bare skin.

The phantoms sensed her approach and congregated around her, the silence of the city fading as a dull roar, like a gale, began to grow. These were not normal residents. They did not come from her heart, from her subconscious. These were the legion of ashen-faced souls that had been cut down, been broken and violated, souls that had died unjustly. Phoenix had drawn them, one and all, into her heart, to fill her empty city with life.

'_Phoenix!'_ They called. _'Avenger!'_

"I'm hunting," their queen said with a vicious smirk. "A demon, with a weakness for women. From him, I want answers first, blood second."

Some souls shirked away, wanting no part in this hunt, but for each that did a thousand rose in their place, all clamouring for a second chance at life and revenge. Phoenix quickly spotted a particularly feisty one and drew it towards her. It was a young woman, a human in her late teens or early twenties, with tousled blond hair and big brown eyes. The soul latched onto Phoenix's arm and begged wordlessly with those eyes, a desperate plea, a demand and a promise all at once.

Phoenix smiled, this soul was perfect. She cupped the girl's face in her hands and whispered softly in her ear, "Grant me your face and I will grant you my breath. Everything else, your actions, your intent, your mind, shall be mine."

The soul beamed a smile and nodded without hesitation, and Phoenix embraced the girl as the world of her heart faded. Flames engulfed the Valkyrie, and when they died down she was back in reality, only an instant after she left it, with the face of a blond, brown eyed country girl.

She looked in the mirror and gave a little twirl, admiring her new appearance. _'Oh, yes, that demon won't know what hit him,_' she thought as she grinned at her new body's curves. She waved her finger and flames burst about her again, this time forming clothes out of the borrowed soul's memories. A chocolate brown, sleeveless dress and a white blouse appeared on her body, and Phoenix waved her finger again to make the outfit a bit more enticing. The blouse and dress stitched together and opened up to provide a hint of the soul's (damn her!) ample cleavage, while the hem of the dress rose high enough to be alluring but remain demure and innocent. Now, to test for reactions… forcing the grin off her face, she sidled out from behind the changing screen and glanced shyly at the waiting Tav and Cinos.

"E-excuse me…" she murmured, looking lost. She glanced unsurely at the two men, lip quivering as she shrank slightly away from them. "I wandered here, and I'm very lost…" Her voice hitched, as if holding back a sob. If they strained their eyes, they could almost see a pink haze and shining bubbles surround her. "And I… I just didn't know who else to ask… do you…" She cut the act with a wide smirk and the haze vanished. "Do you think it's convincing?"

Tav and Cinos stared at her without a word. Tav was visibly speechless, his mouth flapping uselessly as his mental image of Phoenix crashed violently with her new act. Cinos was staring blankly as always, but Phoenix liked to think it was blanker than usual.

"You like?" she asked sweetly, doing a little twirl, and they quickly schooled their expressions.

"Good job…" muttered Tav, averting his eyes in embarrassment. "Yeah, it's… yeah, it'll do…"

"It's a suitable disguise," Cinos nodded in agreement. "From the profile I've formed from the information scattered around, this demon likes allure. He might expect someone attractive to be fishing for information however, but wouldn't expect a spy to be moe."

Tav and Phoenix stared at him like he grew a second head.

"What the hell is 'moe'?" asked Tav, confused. Phoenix suddenly found herself stifling a giggle.

"It means 'cute', or 'innocent'," replied Cinos. Phoenix couldn't hold it back anymore and burst out laughing.

"How… how the hell do you know about _'moe'_, of all things, Cinos?" she asked, between fits of laughter.

"It's my business to know," replied Cinos, scowling slightly while mentally reminding himself not to let the smirking Valkyrie get to him. It was harder than usual.

"Ri~ight…" chuckled Phoenix, obviously filing the moment away for use later.

"…Whatever," Cinos sighed, raising his hand and clicking his fingers. Suddenly, they were teleported to the roof of the mansion, under the dull night sky.

"What's this about, Cinos?" Tav asked, looking over the dark landscape.

"It's been some time since any of us have gathered together to share a common goal, a common target," Cinos said, walking forward to look out at the mountains and the soft orange horizon above them. "I just thought it should be marked by some kind of significant event." He glanced at Phoenix. "Sadly, I didn't have a city to burn, so I suppose this will have to do…"

The sky over the mountains was pierced by a bright, proud light.

Dawn rose over Veldime.

Phoenix smirked, hiding a genuine smile. "Still got a firm grip on that romantic soul of yours, haven't you, Cinos?"

"More like theatrical soul," said Tav, rolling his eyes but grinning all the same. "And here I thought you had changed. Nice timing though."

"Who ever said I had timed it? Maybe I just asked the sun a favour…" Cinos said, almost teasingly, they weren't sure. He didn't smile back, but treated them to a miniscule bow. "All the same… good luck."

Without another word, a gate opened below him and he disappeared for Zenon's Castle.

Not wasting a moment, Tav and the phantom-clad Phoenix jumped from the roof and landed in the courtyard. The Valkyrie crouched down, casting a critical eye around the overgrown gardens in the front. "Cinos said it was just the other day the target was here, so the trail couldn't have gone too cold…" She flicked through the tattered diary to get a feel for the demon's mana.

"Well?" Tav asked expectantly.

"It's faint… just a bit too faint, unfortunately, so it'd take a while," Phoenix said, tossing him the diary. "Of course, that's where _you_ come in. Looking forward to it!"

"That's right, we've never really travelled together before…" the brawler grinned. "You need me to 'Lead' you the end of his trail, huh? No problem, let's go."

With that, he turned and casually strolled down the trail, catching Phoenix by surprise. "Hey, hold on," she said, jogging to catch up with him. "What about your Wanderlust? Wouldn't that get us to the target straight away?"

Tav looked at her with a grin and a shrug. "This _is_ Wanderlust."

"What, just walking?" Phoenix said sceptically. "Wow, real amazing. Who would have known your super secret trick to arriving at any destination you want is to _walk_ to it?"

Tav chuckled. "Sorry it isn't as flashy as your phantom disguise trick, but it gets the job done. You see?" He motioned with his arm.

Phoenix rolled her eyes – then paused, looking around the surroundings. The overgrown, weed-choked gardens of the mansion were gone, replaced by a vast, pale meadow. She glanced behind them, and could only barely see the mansion as a tiny dot on the horizon, hundreds of miles away.

"…How did you do that?" Phoenix asked, confused.

"Wanderlust is a… well, I like to see it as a metaphysical thing, really," Tav replied vaguely. "They say that the most important part of a quest is not the destination, but the journey itself. That said, there's always a point or two where you'd just be marching onwards without anything worth recording happening. I just use Wanderlust to skip that boring stage…" he motioned his hand to a village a few miles away. "…And arrive at our destination. No breath or time wasted."

Phoenix blinked in surprise. Where had that village come from? She concentrated, and was pleasantly surprised to find they were standing on the very trail their target had used. Better yet, the trail was fresh. "He's in that village, definitely. Seems like he just arrived. Nice one."

"Hmm?" Tav asked, distracted by something.

"Something bugging you?" Phoenix asked.

'_Yes, this is the same village I was at yesterday, which__ means the key to finding Zenon really _is_ here, if this is where my Wanderlust keeps leading me…'_ is what he didn't say. Instead, he shook his head. "No, just wondering what our plan of action is."

"I'll scope out the village quietly and find the target while it's still early, then extract the info," shrugged Phoenix. "You, just keep your distance and stay out of it – you're as subtle as half a brick to the face, after all."

Tav smirked. "You're one to talk."

"Hey, I can be subtle," Phoenix assured him with a grin. "Better yet, I can be so blatant about some things, it wraps back around to subtlety. Beat that." She stretchered her arms, then headed for the village. "Circle around and enter the village from a different angle, just to be safe."

"Good luck," Tav said, before walking off to the side… and simply fading from view, as if his presence in the first place was just a trick of the light.

"Thanks, but I don't need it," Phoenix muttered to herself, looking at the village in the distance, a vicious grin growing on her borrowed face. "I'm on the hunt…."

* * *

Le Sigh~!

Tink strolled down the quiet streets of Holt Village, still wondering quite how he had managed to lose Rozalin's old mansion.

Again.

He could argue that it wasn't his fault this time, since this particular demon was clearly a powerful sorcerer, no doubt an ancient fiend that sat on the ley-lines of the universe, who had conquered countless Netherworlds in the past, and even had an evil army of super-powerful mutants at his command. And was ten feet tall! With a top hat and a creepy moustache!

At least, that's what he had decided to tell Rozalin and Adell when he finally arrived at Holt. He had flown, fast as he could, for two days, just to reach them, but as he finally reached their house…

Something made him stop. No, he wasn't so pathetic he'd run to Monsieur Adell and the Princess when something went foul, was he? No, he had pride! If you believed Tink was that sort of cowardly man, you were sorely mistaken! So he turned around and strode off, ready to deal with his problem _without _running up and knocking on their door.

His decision had nothing whatsoever to do with that samurai guarding their house, giving him the evil eye. Non monsieur, Tink was a demon with a mission, which –

– Which could wait, since he had just spotted a pretty lady. Mind instantly switching tracks, he went right into 'appraisal mode'. Blond hair, but not the light blond like the Princess, more of a deeper, earthy tone that complimented her complexion. Simple, traveller clothes which looked well worn, but accentuated her bust and hips in a subtle way that Tink just found just _magnifique_.

Oho, she was a gemstone in this mucky village, truly a songbird in a forest of pigeons.

She was one of the few people in the street in this early hour, but she wasn't setting up any stalls or moving stock like the rest of them. In fact, she was glancing unsurely around the buildings, her mouth moving slightly as she quietly read aloud the names of the stalls and shops around the market district, as if she were committing the sight to memory. Clearly, she had just arrived in town, and from her nervous posture this entire village was new to her, unfamiliar territory.

As her gaze wandered the stalls, their eyes met, and Tink was stunned to find himself almost lost in those round, hazel eyes of her. There was something beyond those eyes, something blazing bright, but before he could figure out what that was an errand boy carrying a bushel of apples crossed their path, breaking the moment. The girl stared at him a moment longer, a shy surprise written across her face, and Tink gave her the most angelic smile in his repertoire.

The blonde quickly began to blush, but seemed transfixed, rooted to her place. Well, that was to be expected, Tink did tend to have that effect on the ladies. Quickly, he closed the gap between them, plucking a flower from a passing shopkeeper's handful of bouquets.

"Pour vous, mademoiselle," Tink said, lightly offering the flower to the lady. She took it almost unconsciously, gazing into his eyes as if under a spell. "Might zis be ze first time you have graced zis rustic paradise we call Holt with your beauty?"

"Y-yes, I just arrived in the village at dawn..." she said, nervous but also entranced.

"Ah! How wonderful!" exclaimed Tink airily. "Well zen, are you by any chance looking for a guide around zis belle village? It would be my honour to escort you…"

"I… I…" the girl blushed furiously, and turned on her heel, dashing away. "I'msorryIneedtogo!"

Tink frowned. Had that been too much? He almost ran after her, but stopped himself for two reasons. One, it wouldn't do for a gentleman like him to be chasing after a fleeing lady. And two?

He had realised the girl had kept the flower he gave her clutched to her heart.

Tink smiled, his spirits lifting. After all, Holt was a small village, he was sure to 'stumble' across her again soon.

Perhaps being kicked out of the mansion was a good thing after all.

* * *

Jericho yawned and blinked drowsily. Not that he was tired – he was just bored. He had forgotten how boring watch duty could be, especially when you were keeping watch in a tiny little village like this. The only thing that had happened was some well-dressed looking idiot had shown up after dawn. Before Jericho had even opened his mouth, the guy had yelled "I surrender!" and flew off.

Jericho had just sighed and resumed his watch. The sooner they kicked Cinos' ass and got off this rock, the better. It was simple, right? What could go wrong?

Jericho frowned. _'Whoops. I just jinxed the trip, didn't I?'_

He heard the door open and looked to see Lord Almaz and that other human, Adell, walk out, talking about a sword or something. _'Oh yeah, the cursed sword. Hope he's not stupid enough to use it…' _Jericho thought. _'Maybe I should warn him. "Don't do it, it'll eat your soul and pollute your heeeaaart!" Something dramatic like that.'_

What he _actually_ said was, "Saw someone earlier sniffing around here."

That grabbed both human's attention. "Are either of you familiar with a demon that looks about your age?" Jericho asked. "Blond hair, dresses in a fancy suit, surrenders quickly?"

"Ah, that'd be Tink," Adell nodded, recognising the description instantly. "He's a friend, but he usually calls first." He frowned. "When did he come?"

"Around dawn."

"Weird. Maybe there's a problem," Adell mused aloud. "Okay, I'll go get Rozalin and we'll look for him."

"Right. I'll sort out that demon's sword in the meantime," said Almaz.

Adell nodded and went back into the house while Jericho scowled slightly. Was the Overlord really going to be so casual about this? It could kill him! He fought the urge to sigh as he realised it was his honour and duty as a samurai to warn the kid before he did anything stupid.

Stupid subconscious, why wasn't he just a warrior? They didn't have _any_ morals!

He made a mental note to transmigrate into one as soon as they got back to the academy and cleared his throat. "Overlord, it mightn't be the best idea to treat a cursed sword so lightly."

"Yeah, everyone keeps telling me that…" said Almaz, grinning sheepishly.

"Yeah, there's a reason for that, they're just not profitable." Jericho insisted. "If the wielder is strong, the weapon usually gets broken. If the wielder is too weak, the curse usually eats their soul. Seriously gone, no reincarnation, do not pass go, do not collect 200 Hell."

"Well, that's why I wanted to speak to you. You said you've spent your life mastering the sword, haven't you? That's why you're the best man for the job," Almaz said.

Jericho's eyebrows raised in slight surprise as the young hero went on. "You see, I'm not actually sure it really is cursed. It was talking, but in the voice of the demon that used it. Plus, during the fight that demon made a big show about how that sword was his soul, and that sounds kinda familiar, don't you think? Souls turning into weapons?"

Jericho felt like a lightbulb just went on in his head, and he smirked. "Magichange. Of course. Hmm… yeah, that'd do it. Could be…" He frowned, realising something. "Wait… wouldn't that mean he should have transformed back by now? Most demons can't hold that form for long, regardless of mana levels."

Almaz shrugged. "That's what I'm confused about. I've only ever used magichange a couple of times, and I've never even seen a cursed sword, so I thought I'd defer to the expert."

Almaz had such a ridiculously eager, honest face that Jericho doubted the kid was trying to flatter him. "Alright," he sighed. "Let's see the sword."

* * *

Mir Almandine-Adamant was a woman who took great pride in her work. She juggled his Majesty's schedules expertly, dealt with the duller and more pompous nobles before they bothered the King with draining bickering and kept a sharp eye over the business and politics of the kingdom as well as the personal lives of the royal household.

Every day brought about new challenges, even though the disappearance of her son had turned those challenges into mountains. Many people had even suggested that she be removed from her job due to the stress – she was sure the majority of those voices weren't from anyone concerned with her health, but she hadn't climbed the ladder into her position for nothing, and continuously defied all claims that her work was being affected.

There was a bit of advice her mother had told her once – don't try and get on the good side of the boss, get on the good side of the boss' secretary. Anyone not on her good side during the past two months had found themselves crushed by a wrath more fearsome than the Netherworld itself.

Routine was her shield in her job, but that shield had been cracked after hearing her son's voice. She had stayed up half the night after the call, pacing worriedly, speaking with her husband on the phone and sobbing her eyes out with relief and worry.

But habits were habits, and damn it if her body wasn't going to insist that she gets her full eight hours of beauty sleep every night.

Which is why she was late the next day.

She was woken by the sound of the phone ringing. As soon as the sound registered in her brain she was already running to pick it up. Her heart fell when it was one of her assistants and not Almaz, then froze as she realised it was eleven a.m. and his Majesty and the Royal Council were waiting on her to begin their meeting with Sapphire.

She bit back a violent curse, slammed the receiver down and exactly fourteen minutes later burst out of her house, running at full sprint for the castle with her purse and a briefcase full of folders under arm, her other arm clamped to the side of her head as she pinned down her glasses and beret.

Being the secretary, her house was within walking distance to the castle, which normally made the commute a relatively simple matter. This morning, however, was complicated by her turning the corner and finding herself on a collision course with a hot-food vendor that was _not_ there yesterday.

And after she crashed into it, wasn't there today either... anymore.

She pulled herself up from the wreckage of the stand and looked, from the hob that had toppled over spilling soup all over the sidewalk, to the brightly coloured menus and flags scattered on the ground, to the pedestrians in the quiet street staring at the scene. Then, swallowing a lump of worry, the turned and looked at the face of the vendor himself, a tall, fierce looking man with a bushy mane of sandy blonde hair that covered his ears, held back by a red bandanna.

He gave her a friendly, lopsided grin. "Irrashai! Good to see such enthusiasm for food!"

"I am… so, so sorry," Mir began to apologise, staring around at the collapsed stall. Now that she looked at it, it didn't seem too badly damaged, but the food… "I've spilled all the soup… I can pay you back…"

"Gyahyahyahya!" the vendor burst out laughing. "Pay? For food that you didn't enjoy? Now that truly would be a disaster! Anyway," he added, picking up the scattered pots and setting up his equipment, "The soup was nasty as it was. It deserved to be spilled! No point crying over spilled milk after all, and doubly so for _that_ soup. Besides, the most important thing was spared from damage," he looked up at her and flashed a wide grin, which made her feel somewhat flustered.

"And that was?" she asked.

He picked up a pot and dropped it on the worktop, lifting the lid. "The rice!"

"I… see…" Mir said, then the vendor's face clicked in her mind. "Wait, aren't you the new cook at the castle? Just hired this week?"

"Indeed I am!" the cook said proudly, pouring water from a boiling kettle into the pot and setting it to boil. "I answer to the name 'Champloo'. I'm guessing you work at the castle too?"

Mir was somewhat surprised he didn't know who she was. "Um, yes, I'm the king's secretary…"

"And I take it you skipped breakfast?" the man said with a knowing smile, chopping up several onions and mushrooms so fast the knife was a blur.

"Yes, actually…" Her stomach growled as she registered the smell of food in the air.

"Then I'll whip you up some sushi and miso soup to tide you over!" Champloo said, working like a whirlwind as he set his stall back up while adding stock to the boiling water and spreading a sheet of seaweed onto the worktop.

"I…" Mir didn't want to turn down his generosity, especially after having wrecked his stall, but still… "I'm sorry, but I'm late, the meeting can't start without me…"

"Ah! Then there's no risk of you missing it?" smirked Champloo triumphantly. "In that case, you might as well eat!"

"I can't keep the king waiting!" she exclaimed, aghast at the suggestion.

"If it's for food, he'll understand," Champloo said sagely. "One of the most important ingredients to a meal is time – the anticipation is part of the flavour! From the simmering of a stew overnight to the three minute wait of a cup of instant ramen, any true man understands time is the ingredient you cannot compromise on. And I'm sure the king is no exception to this zen understanding."

"I don't think that's zen…" Mir frowned, then her stomach growled and she sighed. "But I think I get what you're saying." She bit her lip, glancing between the rice and soup Champloo was working with to the castle, just a few minutes away. A gleam in the street caught her eye and she snatched it up like magpie. "Ooh, a penny. Okay, heads I eat and tails I go to work, does that sound fair?"

"Works for me!" Champloo replied. Mir flicked the coin in the air, but before it came back down the cook snatched it up, checked the face and placed it deliberately on the table, heads up. "Looks like it's time for breakfast!"

"But that's –!" Mir began, before Champloo waved her into silence.

"Why obey the recipe for chicken chow mein if you don't like chicken?" he demanded. "You can't leave things to chance and hope – if you know what you have to do to get what you need, then why are you hesitating? Listen to your heart, and your stomach, and walk down the true path of flavour! Even if other chefs think you're cheating, in the end it is _your_ stomach that will be full! Boom!"

"Y-yes sir!" Mir spluttered, bowing reflexively. She picked up one of the fallen stools and sat down as Champloo began to put in the filling and roll the sushi. "So why is the new royal chef working at a stall in the street?" she asked. "I would imagine you're making a fair amount of money as is…"

"Hyahyahya! As if I need money! When you're a cook, you never go hungry!" laughed Champloo. "Besides, even if I make food fit for a king, the king is still one man! The true zen of cooking is to spread flavours far and wide! How can I do that from behind stone and steel?"

"So why did you apply for the job in the first place?" she asked, curious about the strange chef.

"A student of mine worked in the palace," Champloo answered, stirring the simmering pot and adding more stock. "I had some free time, so I decided to see what the castle he worked in was like."

"Your student?" she asked as his knife blurred, chopping up the rolled sushi.

"My greatest! A true chef of the soul!" Champloo said, pumping a fist in the air. Grabbing a piece of paper, he began folding. "When I last saw him, he was at a crossroads, lost and worried, but I trust in his abilities. I'm sure by now he's found the path to a flavour he can believe in."

"I envy him, then," sighed Mir. "I'm at a crossroads myself…" Champloo raised an eyebrow, as if to say, _'I'm listening'_, so Mir continued on. "You see, my son's been missing for a while. I got a phone call from him last night, which is why I was late today. And now, I don't know what to do…"

"But there is something, something only you can do, am I right?"

"How did –?" Mir was surprised by his perception.

"Well, you _are_ the Royal Secretary," the cook said with a knowing grin. "You have more utensils and ingredients on your hands than anyone else does! This situation may seem like it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, but you're not done cooking the meal yet, are you!"

"Y-you're right!" Mir said, standing up swiftly. "I've left this pot simmering long enough! I'm going to march into that meeting and demand they find my son!"

"Hyahyahya! You remind me of my student!" Champloo laughed, nodding approvingly. He held out his hand, proffering a folded paper box. "But first, you'll need this!"

Mir took the box from him, and opened the box. She was welcomed by a warm, savoury smell and the sight of a pile of makizushi inside. She looked back at Champloo, who grinned at her. "An army marches on it's stomach, and a mother on a warpath is more fearsome than any barbarian horde! Boom!"

Mir picked up her briefcase and purse. "Thank you for the meal, and your advice."

"Gyahyahya!" he laughed. "Compliments to the chef are appreciated, but I haven't even finished the soup yet!"

"That's alright," she said with a smile. "I'm not really a fan of miso anyway."

"Hyahyahyahya! Then what are you waiting for?" Champloo laughed. "Go find your son!"

Mir nodded and turned, walking quickly towards the castle, skipping over the puddle of miso she had tipped over. As an afterthought, she opened the origami box of take-away Champloo had given her and popped one of the pieces of sushi in her mouth.

It was the best thing she ever tasted. She was glad she had been late this morning.

Champloo watched her leave out of the corner of his eye until she turned around the bend, and grinned. Lifting the lid of the soup pot, he stirred until a thought occurred to him. _'I never caught her name…'_ he realised. Still, he had seen her around the castle now and then over the past few days, and had spotted her nametag a couple of times as he had passed. He took a sip of the broth as he remembered. _'Oh yeah, Mir Almandine Adamant.' _

Suddenly it clicked, and Champloo spat his soup out in a spray as he realised whose mother she was.

A passerby paused, staring at him after his spit-take. "Needs more miso…" he muttered to the man, then glanced back in Mir's direction. _'So, that's his mother, hmm? I can see the resemblance...' _He smirked to himself as he realised how interesting his little vacation was going to be.

Little did he realise how right he was.

* * *

There she was!

Tink perked up, seeing the girl. She was just standing at the edge of the river, looking off into the clear morning sky with her long tawny-blond hair flowing with the wind. It was an enthralling sight – either she had a keen sense of the dramatic or, more likely, she was just simply _magnifique_.

He crept up near to her, but she didn't seem to notice, clearly lost in thought. "Such a beautiful sight…" he said softly.

She turned, somewhat surprised, then blushed on seeing who it was. "I- I'm sorry?"

"Ze village in the morning," he replied. "Why, sometimes I stay up all night, looking at the stars, simply to see zis sight."

"Oh! Yes, it's… its beautiful..." she said, smiling softly. "I'm glad I stumbled across this village after all… um, I'm sorry I ran away from you, I was just startled…"

Tink waved her apologies away, bowing extravagantly. "I am a man with a strong heart, you have not offended me. They call me Tink – as honest as an angel, as handsome as a devil, eh?"

The young woman giggled. "I… I suppose it's nice to meet you, Tink. I'm Cassandra Strahl, but… just call me Cass."

"Zen Madame Cass, would I be correct in suggesting that you would like a tour of zis fair village?" he asked.

Cass glanced over the water, almost uncertain, but smiled bashfully at Tink. "Well, I _am_ new in town…"

They roamed around the market for a while, with Tink showing her the sights. Not that there was much of note in Holt at any rate, but whenever he couldn't remember a story, he just made one up. Usually something that focused on his many brave, very real, acts of heroism in the face of impossible odds, occasionally accompanied by his bumbling sidekick, Adell.

Speaking of Adell…

"Tink!" the man himself called, waving at Tink to get his attention from across the street. Rozalin stood beside him, raising a hand to beckon him over.

Tink flinched and glanced at Cass, faking a wide smile. "Ah, another friend of mine. If you could excuse me pour une moment, madam..." Before another word could be said, Tink dashed across the street. "Aha, Princess, Adell, I was not expecting to meet you so soon!"

"Yeah, we heard you visited earlier," Adell said.

"Tink, there's a problem…" Rozalin began. Tink stayed silent as they explained the appearance of Tav and Cinos and their hunt, as well as the help they were getting from Almaz and the others.

"You still need to be careful, since Almaz said that it's probably more than just the two demons," Adell said. "We don't know how much information they've got, so here might be someone here looking for Roz…" There was an awkward pause and the three of them slowly, cautiously, turned to look at Cass in the distance as she tasted something from the stall.

"Agh! Why would you sell sugar coated _ginger_ as candy?" Cass cried out, wincing at the taste of the sweet she just ate. She noticed the three looking at her and froze for a moment, then waved sheepishly.

"… Okay, so maybe not her…" Adell muttered as Cass returned to looking at the stall, a luminescent blush across her face.

"Why are you in Holt today anyway, Tink?" asked Rozalin. "Usually you call ahead,"

Tink chuckled nervously. "Eh… nothing urgent or mansion-related or anything…"

Rozalin narrowed her eyes at her old friend. "Tink, your denials are, as always, suspiciously specific."

"What? It's not like I went and recommended zat you steer clear of the mansion for ze next couple of weeks or anything, right?" He cleared his throat and swiftly changed the subject. "So, zat man outside your house was extra muscle, hmm? Ah, just like ze good old days…" He began to frown, considering the news. "Still… it is not exactly a great secret that Rozalin is Zenon's daughter. What if this hunter makes ze connection?"

"When they come, we'll be ready for them," Adell said, a determined look on his face.

"Well then, I shall leave ze Princess under your care," Tink replied, bowing. He edged closer to Rozalin. "Be wary," he whispered. "Zis battle-maniac isn't renowned for his reliability and planning…"

Rozalin smirked. "Rest assured, I am well aware of his sub-par intelligence."

"I can hear you, you know that, right?" Adell shot. "You must really think I'm an idiot, huh?"

They both gasped dramatically, looks of mock horror on their faces. "Princess!" Tink cried, "It's because of us he's discovered how shoddy his brain really is!"

"I know, Tink," Rozalin replied, wiping a mock tear from her eye. "I only hope I can live with the guilt."

"Hey, this is serious!" snapped Adell.

"So was zat unpleasant business three years ago, wasn't it?" Tink replied airily. "And yet we all came out of zat better than most."

"I… guess you're right," Adell sighed. "Still, watch your back."

"Rest assured I will remain vigilant against anyone who would wish harm to ze Princess," Tink said as he bowed, "Now if you'll excuse me…"

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Rozalin told Adell, putting a hand on his arm as they watched their friend rejoin the woman he had been speaking to earlier. Adell nodded silently, but just couldn't shake off the sinking feeling of dread surrounding the air.

* * *

From his vantage point on the rooftops, Tav could easily see the youth from the other day, Adell, as well as the girl he had been with and their target, Tink. He glanced down at Phoenix, clad in her phantom disguise, as she watched at a pigeon taking flight.

Their eyes met. She smirked, flicked a lock of hair in the direction of the other three, and winked, before looking back at the stall and popping a sweet into her mouth from the stall beside her.

Tav gave her the benefit of the doubt and assumed her mini freak-out was faked. Mostly. After all, it made all three of the others pause and look in her direction, which let him get a better look at their faces.

Seeing the girl's face a second time reminded him of something, and it only took a moment for him to remember what. He flicked open the diary and found the sketch from before.

'_Yes… there's a resemblance…'_ he thought as he compared the drawing to the genuine article. _'And she's wearing the same locket and hair tie… so, she may very well be Zenon's daughter…'_

He focused on her. Conveniently, even from this distance he could read her title.

**Rozalin, Overlord Incarnate**.

The hell? Tav had never heard a title like _that_ before. But if her name was Rozalin, and she was speaking to the servant-demon Tink like this, then she could very well be Zenon's daughter.

He focused on the girl, trying to sense what her mana signature was like. He wasn't expecting to detect much, considering it was one of his weakest senses, which is why he nearly recoiled in surprise when he found a deep, dark aura that was unmistakably like Zenon. However, it seemed… docile. Calm and restrained.

There was no mistaking it, she was Zenon's daughter. He smirked. _'Looks like Cinos was right, that servant demon lead them right to her…'_ He chuckled a bit at the irony of it all. _'And I almost started to believe my Wanderlust was failing me. The next step to freeing Etoile was here all along, and here I was thinking I had just Wandered to that house for a spar…_' He glanced at Adell and remembered his last conversation with him.

"_You faced Zenon, didn't you?" Tav asked. "What's wrong?"_

"_I have people I need to protect," came Adell's reply._

It started to make sense, a bit.

Shrugging off the train of thought, he moved to signal Phoenix – only to find her missing along with the demon they had been tailing.

'_Where has she gone?'_ scowled Tav, until a mounting apprehension rose over him. _'By now she's got to know we've found our mark, so she can call this hunt off…'_ Realization dawned on him, and he leapt from his hiding place to find her before she gave the game away. _'Dammit… She's treating this like a hunt… she's going to kill him!'_

* * *

_Chapter 14 – end – _

* * *

Varanotes: Next chapter, what will Tink's fate be? What is Monty's true nature? And just how devastating can Phoenix really be? Stay tuned for part 2!

As for Champloo, you guys didn't really think I _forgot_ about him, did you? And as for him making that sushi, I was at a sushi bar the day before I wrote that. So yeah, sushi was on the brain.

Still, this chapter just took too damn long. In fact, I split it in two to get it up faster. I'm also regretting the whole focus on Rozalin's identity aspect of this particular story arc, since it's a handful to keep tabs on. Oh well, I managed to reference/steal a joke from one of my favourite anime, Bakemonogatari, so I see it as a net positive. Things are going to come gloriously smashing together very soon though!

A cookie for you if you can name what Nippon Ichi game Phoenix's little trick came from. It's tweaked slightly, but not as much as you might think. Hit that review button!

Until next time,

-Varanus


	15. Bird of Prey II

(repost due to server trouble)

Early post this time, and an important announcement at the end of the chapter. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten your review. Read on!

* * *

**Fail to the King!**

_

* * *

Chapter 15 – Bird of Prey__ II

* * *

_

Tink couldn't believe his luck so far. Cass was a wonderful audience, eagerly listening to any stories he had to tell. They were relaxing on the second floor of one of the few cafés in the village, overlooking the river. There were so few customers this early it was like they had the café to themselves.

"But why is a person like you in a little village like this?" Cass asked after a few minutes of conversation. "I was so surprised when I saw you earlier, I thought you were…" she glanced into her teacup shyly. "Well, royalty, almost. I keep wondering where your castle is."

"No castle right now, I'm afraid," Tink smiled, making a mental note to win back his abode, post-haste.

Cass beamed. "I know, it's just that I've always… no, never mind." She blushed slightly and looked back down into her tea.

Tink arched an eyebrow. "Oh? What iz it?"

She shook her head. "No, it's stupid and you'll laugh and… never mind. This tea is lovely…" She said, trying to change the subject.

"Oh, now I'm curious," Tink said playfully. "Iz it a dirty secret? Because I am good at keeping those…" He said suggestively.

Cass looked mortified, but couldn't hold back her involuntary grin. "No, no, nothing like that! It's…" Her grin grew embarrassed. "Well… and it's just childish, but… when I was little I always wanted to meet a princess… and I never really grew out of it…"

Tink smiled widely, and Cass hid her face behind her hands in embarrassment. "Oh, you're laughing, aren't you?"

"Non, non, please continue," Tink said, grinning at the growing blush on her face.

"I've only been thinking of it because of that woman you were speaking to. She seemed so elegant, like you…" Cass smiled, stirring her tea. "It's hard to believe charming little villages like this still exist. I would have thought it'd be like in those stories where the elegant girl meets her Prince Charming and lives in a castle as a princess."

Tink laughed lightly. "Non, it iz more like one of zose stories where ze princess meets an adventurous commoner, leaves the castle and…" He trailed off, feeling inexplicably uneasy.

"…where the princess goes off and finds a charming little village to settle down in?" Cass finished for him.

Tink coughed into his fist, alarm bells going off in his head. "Ahem... somezing like that..." Turning, he caught the lone waiter's eye. "Check please!"

The waiter nodded and walked down the stairs, leaving the two alone. "Are you really just going to dash off like this?" Cass asked far too sweetly. Behind her eyes, something glinted dangerously. It was almost imperceptible, but Tink had been looking into her eyes all day.

And it had been such a wonderful day too… He briefly considered surrendering, but dismissed the thought. This was about Rozalin, after all.

"Ah, zut alors…" he sighed, grabbing the edge of the table and flipping it over.

The table was neatly bisected by a line of fire, but Tink was already diving to the side to break through the window. Before he could make it, however, burning pain blossomed across his chest as he was swatted across the room by a bolt of fire, crashing into the wall.

'_Ah, broke a few ribs… nothing major…__ I can still run,'_ Tink thought as he immediately slumped down, pretending to be unconscious.

"That's not polite, trying to dine and dash, leaving the lady with the bill," Cass' voice said. "Especially after making me think you were a gentleman. Ah, you almost had me fooled…" She chuckled at the irony. "Say, we're quite the match after all, aren't we?"

"Oh hoh hoh hoh…" Tink began to chuckle despite himself. Dropping his feint, he looked up at her. Even with the burning wreckage of the table starting to spread flames to the rest of the café, she hadn't even moved from her seat, simply lounging in her chair with a fire-tipped spear resting on her shoulder.

Catching his look, she grinned, which turned into a sneer that didn't fit with the rest of her face. There was something wrong with that picture, like the sneer didn't belong… or that it was the rest of the face that was alien.

It was as unnerving as it was irritating, yet Tink found himself returning the sneer. He really couldn't help it. He had had such a wonderful day, only to have it ruined by discovering this woman who had made a fool of him was trying to kill his childhood friend. He wanted to run and hide, but at the same time couldn't go until he got some retribution.

He felt his fangs mutate and grow sharper. His nails began to turn into claws, and his skin became darker and redder.

Times like these brought out the worst in him.

"Non, we are quite different… unlike you, I am honest as an angel…" Tink said, rising to his feet as his mad grin spread wider across his face. "I would not lead a lady on, and I am loath to let them come to harm… but, that is fine." His wings shot out, becoming dyed red as his villainous side emerged, and he hurled himself across the room at Cass. "After all, you madam are no lady!"

Cass laughed. "Nice line!" she shouted, kicking one of the burning halves of the table in his way. Tink wheeled out of the way, only to find himself in the path of Cass' spear swing. He brought his arms up to block just in time, but was swatted across the room regardless, crashing into several chairs and tables and landing in a pile.

'_Zut! She's just playing around with me!'_ Tink realised, wincing from the impact. _'Well, zat's fine too. I'm used to fighting foes stronger than me… simply wait until her guard is down…'_ He darted forward and suddenly flew to the side, circling around Cass so fast wind began to blow around her. With a burst of mana, he split into multiple copies, and the gust of wind became a tornado. "It's a pity to harm such a pretty face as yours," Tink's voice called from the vortex, "So I will simply confound you! Sonic Whirl!"

"Oh, don't hold back on my account," Cass winked, her spear bursting into flames. "Hell, this isn't even my real body, watch!" Her face cracked like broken pottery along that sneer and spread into a criss-cross along her face. Her skin turned grey and lifeless and the cracks glowed with a fire beneath the skin.

Then, her skin slid of her face like ash and was picked up in the gale, turning into a smokescreen around her. Tink almost tripped in his surprise as the woman disappeared in a swirl of ash and fire, leaving only her spear behind – and paid for that surprise when the flaming spear shot forward and struck his true body in the shoulder, knocking him across the room and impaling him onto the wall.

"Made you flinch," a voice taunted. A demon appeared in a burst of flame and grabbed the spear, a Valkyrie with red shoulder-length hair and eyes more vindictive than any demon he had seen before. Tink now realised what that glimmer he had seen behind Cass' eyes was.

"Damn…" breathed Tink. "And here I thought zat spark in your eyes was just a bit of hidden spice…"

Phoenix giggled. "Oh, it was. But I don't know if you're man enough to handle it," she said in a flirty tone.

Tink smirked through the pain and roped an arm around the Valkyrie's waist, tugging her towards him. "Madam, it would be wise not to underestimate a man in as dire straits as zis."

Phoenix let him pull her in, twisting her spear in his shoulder as she advanced. "Hmm… I don't think I'm underestimating you in the least bit. I love the tough guy act though, it's a classic."

"Ah, you are like fate. So cruel," he sighed heavily. The spear was burning into his arm, making it difficult to concentrate, but he continued speaking regardless. "You see, I'm glad the lady I was courting turned out to be beautiful after all, but part of me would have preferred it if you were ugly instead…" Tink panted, griping Phoenix's belt tight. She smirked and leaned in to hear him.

"Because I'm going to mess zat face up," Tink grinned evilly as his whole body suddenly glowed luminescent red. "Au revoir."

The glow of his body was from the pure mana he had been building up covertly in his body.

A pulse of electricity acted like a spark, igniting it.

The resulting explosion could be heard a mile away.

* * *

Aria dusted her hands, having moved the block of ice encasing Monty's strange sword to where they would face it. A job well done.

"Wait, we're just going to deal with it in front of the house?" Almaz asked sceptically. He turned to Adell's mom, who had decided to oversee the work. "Are you okay with this?"

"Oh, it's fine. I used to summon things out here all the time," she replied cheerily. "Besides, there's a heavy enchantment about ten metres around this spot. If the summon goes wrong and it breaks out into a fight, this area of Holt will be surrounded by a barrier. No need to worry about damaging the town, just go all out in stopping the threat!"

Almaz frowned. "But wouldn't your house still be in the boundary? What if it got damaged?"

"Then I'd kill you," she replied pleasantly, and went back inside, laughing.

Almaz gulped, and turned to face the sword. It was far less dangerous. "Okay, could we defrost it or-"

Without warning, the block of ice shattered in a surge of power, revealing the black, rusted sword cloaked in it's aura of glowing yellow light.

"_Free! Free!"_ Monty's voice shouted gleefully. _"Behold my power! No prison can hold me!_" The aura cut out and the sword dramatically landed upright in the ground, its blade sinking into the earth. "_And yes, I could have done that at any time._"

Almaz recovered quickly from the show of force. "Then why didn't you?" he asked suspiciously.

"_I had my reasons…_" Monty replied cryptically. Jericho grinned and nudged the sword with the tip of his boot, tipping it over. Monty's sword just lay there on the grass without response.

"You can't move, can you?" Jericho asked, amused.

"…_Why would you do that?_" Monty asked reproachfully. He started to grumble. "_…gonna kill you first…_"

"Yeah, yeah," Jericho said, rolling his eyes. He concentrated, his palms glowing with a sharp blue light. Seeing Almaz and Aria's curious looks, he explained. "A little trick I practiced with during my lives as Magician and a Geomancer. It lets me sense mana traces, particularly good for detecting curses."

He placed his palms over Monty's blade and closed his eyes, letting the blue light wash over it. "Third Eye," he muttered. This trick of his was usually subconsciously present, like a sixth sense, which was how he had felt the gates appear back during the invasion. Now that he was using a focused version, he could actually see the traces of mana around the sword.

Not that there was anything to see. In his Third Eye, Monty's sword was just… black. A black spot in his sight, in the shape of a stout greatsword. If it was cursed, he would have seen some sort of representation on it, chains or snakes coiling around it, but there was nothing unusual about it, no pulsing evil shadows, no stains of blood, nothing strange except for its solid black form. So, in the circumstances it probably was the demon's magichange form… the question was, how did he magichange alone?

Hold on, not all of it was black. At the hilt, Jericho thought he saw a fleck of something bright. He leaned in for a closer look. Maybe this would explain what the hell this 'Monty' was…

Suddenly, a spike of darkness shot forward, looking to impale his Third Eye. Jericho snapped out of the trance and stepped back, feeling a cold sweat build on his brow.

"_I wasn't kidding, you know..._" the sword said knowingly.

"You okay?" Almaz asked.

Jericho nodded absently. _'It was just a scry…'_ he reminded himself. _'You just forgot you were dealing with a demon, not just a sword… right?'_ He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Yeah…" he replied. "Good news is, I'm fairly sure that isn't a cursed weapon…"

"And the bad news?" Aria asked.

Jericho shrugged. "Bad news is I don't know what the hell it is."

"So, what are you exactly?" Almaz asked, turning to the sword himself. "Are you a magichanged demon?"

"_Feh, well you catch on quick,"_ Monty chuckled. "_Yeah, right before you destroyed my body, I managed to let go of my sword and shove most of my soul into it. When your mana blade hit, I was able to use a little speck of it to force the magichange. Because it was your mana I used, that makes you pretty much the only one who can wield me as a sword, at least until a bigger fish comes along._"

"That's impossible, you can't force a magichange on someone," Jericho shot. "There needs to be an agreement between both the wielder and the transformer."

Monty chuckled. "_So you know something about weapons then, huh? Feh, then tell me. Do weapons have souls?_"

Jericho seemed surprised by the question, and stopped to consider it. "…Yeah. I suppose they do," he answered after a moment.

"Seriously?" Almaz asked.

"The Item World proves it," replied Jericho. "There's actually a large school of thought about it… there's such a huge amount of mana, creating pocket universes, even in the most insignificant of blades. If mana is life energy, and the Item World is build out of it, then the idea that weapons have some sort of soul to them is logical, if not certain." He shook his head and massaged his temples. "Ugh, philosophy. There's a reason I never went back to being a Geomancer…" he muttered.

Monty's aura flickered. "_Well, I've done some soul searching in the past about that same question, and I realised something. If weapons and other items have a fleck of soul, what would happen if you pulled that fleck out?_"

A memory of the previous day's battle shot through Almaz's mind, of Monty holding his sword as it buckled, rusted and turned to dust. "It'd just crumble… You stole my sword's soul?"

Monty chuckled. "_Not exactly. I just pulled out its essence, everything that made that sword a sword. That, ironically, is why I'm in this little conundrum. When you were about to land that attack – bravo, by the way – I used your sword's essence to forge a bond between us, letting me magichange before you outright killed me._"

"But my sword wasn't anything special. It's just something I picked up on an Item World run," said Almaz. "I hadn't fought with it for more than a week, even."

"_Well, in that case it hadn't been used by anyone else before,_" said Monty. "_Which makes sense, really. It was faint, but there was a definite sense of ownership about it. That sword knew you were its wielder, and since I've absorbed its essence, there's a tiny part of me that wants to be wielded by you again. So I figured, why the hell not? Besides, I'm stuck in this form._"

"Why? What's keeping you from transforming back?" asked Almaz.

"_You are,_" Monty said. "_Your mana kind of messed up mine. It killed the part of my soul that connected me to that body. Like it or not, there's a connection between us now, and until I either build up a new stockpile of mana to reform my old body or another demon comes along to kill you and steals me, I'm stuck with you. Feh, could be worse. At least a new Overlord will probably have some good fights. Looking forward to it._"

"Hold on, Lord Almaz hasn't agreed to anything yet!" Aria shot.

The young hero glanced between the sword and his vassal, and sighed, feeling way over his head. "... Okay, huddle," Almaz called, and the three of them instantly moved into a tight circle. "Huh. That was pretty well co-ordinated."

"You called a huddle," Jericho shrugged. "It's just instinct. Now, if you want my opinion about the sword, I think he's talking out of his ass."

"_I'm totally not!_" Monty shouted helpfully.

"He totally is," Aria said, backing the samurai's opinion up. "C'mon, sucking a soul out of a sword? His story's too complicated, there's no way it's true."

"_It totally is!_" Monty yelled. "_If you want, go buy any sword you want at Rosenqueen and I'll prove it!_"

"No eavesdropping!" Aria called back.

"It doesn't matter," Almaz sighed, breaking the formation and looking at the stark blade with a critical eye. "Even if you're telling the truth, it's only scratching the surface. Monty, just what are you?"

There was a moment of silence as the sword seemed to contemplate the question, then it chuckled. "_Who knows?_" Monty finally replied, playfully. "_I could be anything, and it wouldn't matter to you. Maybe I'm a sword who was used for evil for a thousand years, and, from the splinters of souls I was used to cut down, I gained a voice of my own. Maybe I'm a force of nature enclosed in a rusted suit of metal, wandering the universe for some unknown purpose. Or, hey, maybe I'm a human, a hero like you, who fought for so long he eventually became the villain, and all of a sudden realised the stain of blood wouldn't wash off his sword. Or maybe I'm just a demon who likes pop culture references and fighting more than is healthy, and just decided he didn't want to be three feet away from the people he's killing, so became a sword._"

The grass around Monty rippled under a shockwave, and his aura began to grow in earnest. "_I could be anything, and it wouldn't matter to you, kid, because we both know what I can be to you._"A burst of aura flared out as he spoke.

"_**Power,**__ Overlord. Any form you need. Show me your enemies, and my blade will guide them hell. Show me someone to protect, and my edge will be the line in the sand. Whatever you fight for, it doesn't matter to a sword. Love and hate, it's the same. War, peace, what's the difference. Truth, justice and apple pie, _I don't care_. All I want is to fight. Wield me, __**Overlord**__._"

"You… you're not even close to being a normal magichange, are you?" Almaz said, with a mixture of surprise and awe.

"_Like I said, maybe, maybe not. But I'm telling you, kid, what I am for certain is one of the most powerful swords you've ever seen and ever will see, and right now you're in the middle of some sort of war and need a sword._"

'_Yeah, a sword I can trust…'_ thought Almaz. "I'm going to need to think about this."

"_Oh, sure, take your time. No rush," _Monty replied breezily.

Suddenly the air shuddered as an explosion was heard nearby. Almaz spun around and saw smoke rising from the other side of Holt. _'The village is under attack?'_

"_Like I said, no rush,"_ Monty said smugly.

* * *

Tav swore as he saw the explosion erupt just a few rooftops ahead, a ball of fire and smoke blowing the roof away. Leaping, he landed in front of the burning café and scowled at the wreckage. Somehow the stone walls on the ground floor had survived the explosion, but the entire upper story was a blazing ruin.

Several screams around him made him realise there were villagers fleeing the scene. "Oh, don't tell me there are people still inside!" cursed Tav. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the wreckage.

Near blinded by the flames, he swung his arms around in a mana infused kata, dragging the smoke out of the building with an illusionary gale. The fire still burned around him though, but now that he could see he spotted a waitress cowering under a table, trapped by a burning beam. He rushed forward and brushed the beam out of the way as if it were a toothpick, then pulled the girl from the flames, out of the building.

He walked out into the open air and saw a crowd beginning to form. "Can somebody maybe give me a hand here!" he snarled incredulously. A familiar red-headed youth pushed into the front of the crowd.

"I got you," Adell said, giving Tav a stern nod and taking the girl from him. "Get the rest of these guys organised, could you?" He turned his attention back to the waitress, who was blinking dully. "Solei? Solei, it's me, Adell."

"Someone call the medic, or a doctor or anything, quick," Tav ordered the crowd. He pointed at one guy. "You. You do it. The rest of you, dammit, we're right beside a river! Start a bucket chain or something!" Several people scattered obediently, and Tav turned back to Adell. "How is she?"

Adell's expression was grim. "She'll live. She's got a concussion though, I think." He was about to step away as a couple of her friends rushed forward to help the girl, but was stopped as Solei tugged on his wrist.

"Caine's still… still in…" the girl coughed. "There was a fight, and everyone else ran… but me and Caine stayed…"

Tav forced his expression to be neutral and clapped a hand on Adell's shoulder. "Looks like we still have work to do." Adell nodded and they both re-entered the burning café.

"Caine is the cook, he'd be in the kitchen!" Adell shouted over the roar of the flames. The fire was no problem for the two, they simply barged right through it and the debris to reach the back, there they found the massive figure of Caine shouldering a burning beam that had fallen from the ceiling.

"How're you, boys?" the man said cheerily despite his load. "Thanks for stopping by, I would have been out sooner if not for this braggart." He shook his leg, where a young girl was clinging for dear life.

"Let me get that for you," Tav grinned, tugging the beam off Caine's shoulder. The man sighed in gratitude and slumped forward, almost fainting before Adell caught him, who slung Caine's arm around his own to support the man.

"Bridget, follow me," Adell said to the kid, extending a hand which the child took.

"T-thanks, Adell…" the kid sobbed.

Tav had a strange moment of clarity as he suddenly realised the child Adell was helping was actually a boy. _'Why does he have his hair in curls and a bob? Did his parents want a girl?'_

Giving a glance to Tav, Adell frowned. "You coming?"

Tav snapped back to reality. "I think this beam is structural," he said. "If I let go a whole lot of the building is going to collapse on us. You get out with those two, I'll deal with it."

Adell was about to protest, then realised who he was talking to. "Heh," he grinned. "A collapsed building probably wouldn't even slow you down, huh?"

"You got that right," Tav smirked in reply. "Now get going."

Adell nodded and rushed back through the flames, half carrying both the civilians with him. As he left, the fires began to pick up and the ceiling caved in, burying the doorway in a blaze of burning rafters.

Seeing the coast was clear, Tav dropped the beam. It wasn't structural at all, and he knew it, but he had to get Adell out of there so he could deal with –

"Hey there, stranger. What brings you to this part of town?" a familiar voice sang in his ear.

"What the hell were you thinking?" snarled Tav, whirling around to glare at Phoenix. "You could have blown our cover and ruined everything! And that's even ignoring the amount of innocent people you could have killed with stupid stunt of yours! Though, obviously you couldn't give a crap about collateral!"

"Okay, first?" said Phoenix, hackles rising. "No such thing as innocent people. No such thing. Second? What the hell crawled up your ass? I didn't do this. The guy blew himself up. Nearly grazed me too. Heh, got myself a souvenir though." She raised her hand and saluted – with the dismembered arm she was holding.

"Phoenix, that's disgusting," spat Tav, his lip curling at the sight of the limb.

"Desperate times," Phoenix shrugged. "He was about to get me point blank with a pure mana-explosion and didn't want to let go of me. Kind of rude, but I let it slide."

"Really, you didn't do this?" Tav sneered. "Since it looks like a hell of a lot of fire for a _mana _bomb."

She sighed. "Alright, I _may_ have countered it with a Spear Storm to shield myself…"

"Phoenix…" scowled Tav. "You shouldn't have attacked in the first place."

"It was necessary, we need to spook that Princess," insisted the Valkyrie. She looked at where the entrance once was. "She's out there now, this is our chance…"

"This wasn't part of the plan, Phoenix," he warned her.

"Aleph, you suck at tracking and sensing mana, so you probably didn't notice at first glance," Phoenix said, "But there was something inside her that changes this plan."

Tav frowned, waiting for her to continue, but she just smirked. "Just trust me for a bit longer, alright?"

Tav sighed. "Alright, what do I have to do?"

Phoenix's smirk widened. "Play dead."

* * *

Several villagers took Caine and Bridget from Adell's arms, and the young demon hunter turned back to the building to help Tav. Before he had a chance though, burning rafters fell in the doorway, blocking his way. He was about to rear back and charge right through them when he heard a voice call his name.

He turned and saw Rozalin catch up to him. "What do you suppose happened?" she asked as they walked back to the crowd, away from the burning building.

Adell shrugged. "I don't know. Solei mentioned a fight…"

"That's right, a fight broke out," piped in Caine, calling them over. Rozalin insisted that he rest, but he shook his head. "I'll rest in a moment, this is important. It was Tink, he was the one caught in the fight, that's why me and Solei stayed behind. Only, that girl he was with turned out to be frightenin' strong."

'_Could it have been Tink's self-destruct skill that did this?'_ Adell thought, frowning. From Rozalin's expression she was thinking the same thing. _'But that skill couldn't have caused this much fire so quickly…'_

Suddenly the window to the café exploded outwards as Tav came crashing through it. He landed hard in the dirt and groaned.

"What happened?" Adell asked, diving to the brawler's side without a thought.

Tav rose and brushed him aside. "Move!" he yelled, right as a red blur shot out of the window and ploughed into him. Tav screamed as a blazing spear impaled him, the spearhead ripping out through his back. The wielder of the spear turned, swinging Tav and sending him crashing into the burning café.

There was a scream as the remaining villagers scattered, fleeing before another fight could break out. Adell and Rozalin were too shocked to notice, upon seeing who the new demon was. A red-haired Valkyrie, who wielded a fiery spear and was wearing gauntlets that stretched up to her shoulders? No doubt, it was Phoenix, one of Cinos' allies that Almaz had warned them about.

But wasn't Tav supposed to be working with Cinos too?

Before they could react, Tav came charging back out, roaring with anger, but before he could land a single hit the red Valkyrie spun around and swatted him aside with her spear, sending him falling to Adell and Rozalin's feet.

"Crap, are you okay?" Adell asked, leaning down but keeping a sharp eye on the spear wielding demon.

Tav grinned with red-stained teeth. "Who the hell do you think I am?" He spat blood and growled. "Put that bitch down, kid."

Adell nodded and charged. The woman grinned viciously and stabbed forward, which he dodged and blocked with his forearm, pushing the spear away from him. The spear came swinging back in a slicing attack, which Adell ducked under and tumbled forward into a coiled handstand.

Right inside her guard.

"_King of Beasts!_" Adell shouted, springing up and catching the woman underneath the chin with a double kick.

With a burst of mana, the dimensions around him and Phoenix turned harsh and hazy. Adell shot up after the Valkyrie and, before she could restore her guard, landed a dozen bone-shattering kicks, each one with a blast of mana that shot them higher and higher into the air. Spinning around, he caught her arm to swing her down in the finisher – but she slipped away from him with a smirk.

They both fell through the dimension as the special burnt out and landed back in front of the ruined café. Adell stared at her in disbelief. "How did you get away?"

She smirked. "You never grabbed my arm."

Adell looked into his hand, where the arm he grabbed was still tightly gripped. He stared at it in shock and disgust for a moment – he had grabbed a dismembered arm? – before he recognised it with a wave of horror. Blue sleeve, a ring on the middle finger. "This is… Tink's…?"

"Well, he couldn't keep his hands to himself, so…" taunted Phoenix. Adell dropped the arm as he went blank with rage, while Rozalin sank to her knees in horror, staring at it.

Adell darted forward, catching Phoenix by surprise. She swiped at him, aiming to slice off his head, but with a sudden jolt of mana Adell shot backwards a step, fire swirling at his feet.

"_Crimson Flame_," Adell snarled, and the fire shot up around him into a column of all-destroying, piercing red flames.

Phoenix was wide open. Adell shot into her guard, his fist a plume of fire.

She caught the fist in one hand and raised an eyebrow. "Fire?" she asked incredulously. "Against me?"

The spear swung around, the blunt side knocking him on the back of his head. Disorientated, he was caught off guard as it went low and tripped him head over heels and she roundhouse-kicked him, sending him hurtling through the flames.

Phoenix reared back her spear for a killing strike, but her eyes widened as she felt the pressure of a terrifying aura. Spinning around, she swung her spear like a bat just as a gunshot sounded.

Her spear caught the bullet on the nose, but the oppressive weight of the mana infused in it threatened to overwhelm her strength. Rather than worry, her grin grew ear to ear. "_Homerun!_" she cried, sending the deadly bullet flying into the sky.

Phoenix turned to face the gunner and was faced with Rozalin, a picture of wrath and darkness. Her wings were like a black sky behind her, while a glowing seal materialised in front of the girl. A dark aura crawled along the edge of it, trying to creep through. In her hands was a familiar gun – a Noble Rose, which glowed from the power being channelled into it.

"**Y**ou're **g**oing **t**o **p**ay **f**or **w**hat **y**ou've **d**one," Rozalin said, her voice carrying an odd echo. "**I**'ll **m**ake **s**ure **o**f **i**t**!**"

"Give it your best shot!" laughed Phoenix, diving for her with her spear poised for attack. "Shoot to kill, and die trying!"

Rozalin gritted her teeth and fired, a beam of bright, solid mana erupting from the barrel of her gun. Phoenix laughed and stabbed the oncoming attack, the fire of her spear clashing with the blast, and the two attacks fought each other for dominance.

"Not good enough…" growled Phoenix. Flames burst around her in the form of spears, plunging into the energy blast and forcing it back. _"Not good enough!"_

Rozalin's Proximal Shot was ripped to shreds by the onslaught, and she barely had a chance to look shocked before the Spear Storm exploded before her.

Phoenix panted, trying to get her breath back, as she watched the fire. She had aimed dead-on, there was no way the girl could have survived.

Of course, she knew how well _those_ sorts of attacks usually went, so naturally she wasn't surprised when the flames died down to reveal Rozalin standing among them, unharmed. She was surprised at the why, however.

The human, Adell was standing between Rozalin and the flames, arms crossed in a guard. Lowering his arms, he fell to one knee, singed and sore but grinning like a demon. "You're not the only one good with fire," he said, panting.

"You think that was good?" Phoenix asked, materialising another flaming spear. "Try another!" she yelled, sending it hurtling towards them.

A cold gust surrounded Adell and Rozalin as a figure dove in front of them. At first they thought it was Yukimaru, and were surprised to realise it was Jericho, swinging a katana sheathed in a thick slab of ice into the burning spear, splitting and dispersing it.

"Yeah, I'm thinking no," the deadpan samurai said, readying his sword once more.

Phoenix opened her mouth to retort, but a tremor in the earth made her leap back, just in time to avoid being impaled by several spikes that shot up where she had been standing. Landing a short distance away, she smirked as she realised the spikes were stone spears filled with a vaguely familiar mana, and looked to the side to see Aria, her own spear plunged in the ground.

"Finally branching out into your own techniques, huh?" Phoenix smirked, then paused as glance around. "Wait, where's your kid Overlord?"

Aria said nothing in response, but did raise her hand, with a finger pointed skywards.

"What? He's up?" asked Phoenix, perplexed.

A glint of indigo in the sky and a rush of air was the only other warning she got before Almaz crashed down from the sky, the black blade of Monty in his hand and grand indigo wings of light at his back.

Unfortunately, it was all the warning she needed. Instead of meeting the demon herself, Almaz's sword crashed into Phoenix's spear haft as she twisted around to block him. "I know what 'up' means, I'm not stupid," she smirked as the power of her Spear Storm fought the force of Almaz's Slayer's Decent, the two energies clashing together in a firestorm of blue and red around them. She frowned at his confused and surprised expression. "What's the matter?" she asked, her taunting voice becoming a snarl of hatred. "Can't you beat someone if your _sneak attack_ doesn't _work!_"

Red consumed blue and the storm exploded into flames, sending Almaz flying out. He landed on his feet, skidding to a halt and trying to catch his breath. _"Okay…"_ Monty muttered, too low for anyone else to hear, _"As debut fights go, I'd give it a four…"_

"I don't get it, she couldn't have been this strong last time…" Almaz muttered back.

From the firestorm there was the sound of shrieking laughter, and Phoenix rose above them, standing on the flames as if they were a mountain.

"Do you realise how arrogant you sound?" she yelled, laughing. "Or maybe you're just stupid. You just got the job of Overlord and suddenly you think, oh boy, I'm the greatest, nothing's better than me! _Get a grip!" _she shrieked_._ "You were a big fish in a small pond before, but now you're swimming with the sharks!"

The flames rose and spread, bringing her higher up as they began to take shape in the form of a colossal bird of fire, which reared back to give the Valkyrie a better view of every one of them.

"You think just because you have a title, it suddenly makes you undefeatable?" Phoenix yelled. "You think, just because you've tangled with Zenon, that it means you're tough? Well let me tell you something – we're hunting him. Does that put it in perspective for you? The God of Overlords – he's our prey.

"And right now, you're looking at me with eyes that just scream 'she's the villain, she's the evil one, let's fight her in the name of justice'. You are all so convinced of your own righteousness and my villainy, just because of what?" She laughed at the thought. "Because I stirred up some trouble in a _Netherworld!_ Because I blew up a _café_ in a backwater village! You people haven't seen a _real_ villain at work!

"But I have," she said harshly. "I've seen it through countless eyes, Phantoms begging to be avenged, held deep inside my heart. So that is what I am – the Spear of the Avenger. I am the only one fighting for their justice, the only that remembers the people that nobody else does."

"You call this justice?" yelled Almaz, sweeping his arm across the burning wreckage.

Phoenix laughed sharply. "I call it a taste of what it's like. What it's like to live as they did, what it's like to come across someone so sadistic, so full of hate, that when the storm is over there is _nothing_ left!" Phoenix raised her spear and the firebird swirled around it, coating it in flames until it became a pillar of solid fire, as thick as a house and stretching two hundred feet into to the sky.

There was a rattling noise behind Rozalin and Adell, and they looked to see Tav rising in spite of his wounds, removing the shackles from his wrists. "She's gone too far…" he muttered, cracking his knuckles. The tattoos on his middle finger of both hands began to glow softly. "Phoenix!" he called. "Prepare yourself!"

Phoenix smirked and reared back, ready to fracture the planet with the colossal fire-spear. Tav made a running leap and soared towards her just as she brought down the spear. It crashed into him as he rose, but he gripped the flames firmly in both hands. _"Twin Pillars of Creation!"_ he bellowed, and his hands flared with light, brighter than even the fire as he _tore_ the immense spear in two, ripping it all the way down to the very end. With a further burst of mana he catapulted himself up further, reaching Phoenix and grabbing her by the throat.

Almaz and the others saw Tav rear his piercingly bright fist back, saw the column of flames around them surge and reform into the massive firebird, saw it wrap around both of them as Tav brought his fist down.

There was no explosion – just a flash of light and a gale of wind, and suddenly they were gone, scattering the fire into the empty sky.

"Where did they… are they dead?" Almaz asked, staring into the empty space.

Aria focused her senses to track them. "No… there's a trail left behind, leading east… it's as if they flew off in that direction, but… how they did it so fast without us noticing…?"

Almaz wiped the sweat from his forehead. "We… we've got to fight something like that?"

"_Promise me you'll actually hit something next time round…_" Monty chimed in as Adell stumbled past them in a daze.

The red-headed hunter moved towards the ruined café and began to shift smouldering beams from the doorway. "What's the matter?" Almaz asked.

"Tink's still… he could still be alive…" Adell said, motioning at the ruin helplessly.

"I sense someone, under the rubble," Aria said, moving towards the cafe and pointing vaguely. "It could be..."

No more words needed to be said as Almaz and the others jumped to help clear the rubble.

* * *

Tav and Phoenix landed a few hundred miles away from Holt, his Wanderlust dropping them unceremoniously on the ground in a tangle of limbs. Awkwardly, they disentangled themselves and stood up, dusting themselves off.

"Well," Phoenix said after a moment. "That went well."

"Like hell it did," growled Tav. "What were you thinking with that final attack?"

"Oh please," she said as she rolled her eyes. "That wasn't an attack. That was just a big lump of fire and bravado in the shape of a spear. You felt it yourself, it was just for show. Besides, you needed a diversion to get us out of there."

"It might have been for show to us or those kids down there, but the rest of the village…" He trailed off, his thoughts on something else.

"You felt it, didn't you?" Phoenix asked, picking up on his mood. "When she shot at me."

Tav nodded, hands shaking a little. "I felt it. That surge of dark power, and at the very edge of her soul… Etoile's power. She was there, she was that girl!"

"Do you think she's her reincarnation?" Phoenix asked.

Tav shook his head. "No. I could tell – it was the same fragment of soul I felt disappear twenty years ago. But how? Did Zenon somehow transfer it, or did it automatically go to her when they defeated Zenon?"

"I don't know," Phoenix sighed. "But one thing's certain. Our target has changed."

Tav nodded and they turned to the path, both of them dissolving from sight as they omitted the journey home.

* * *

_Chapter 15 – end – _

* * *

Varanotes: Like Friday and Tileyfa the nurse, Solei, Caine and Bridget are all NPCs in Holt village. Caine was that Wood Golem, and those demons are badass (with the exception of Kotter sensei) so I gave him a cool moment.

So, two things about this chapter.

One, waaay back in Chapter 6 we first saw Phoenix fight. As the story went on I was frustrated that I showed her losing so easy – she's one of the main antagonists, not some mook! So when I saw a chance to fix that I took it. I didn't even mean for most of this chapter to happen, I just sort of let Phoenix do her thing and she wound up kicking everyone's ass.

Two, Tink's final skill. Self-sacrifice, but it's a totally useless attack. I'm sure you chuckled whenever you used it in D2. Well, now whenever you do you'll feel bad. Shame on you.

Also, the announcement: I've decided to tidy up my notes in the story for a purer reading experience, so from now on I'm going to credit all of your reviews at the bottom of the page and get rid of the a/n entirely. Instead, I'll be posting my notes for the chapter onto my livejournal, which you should be able to access through my Profile. Go check it out for a 'behind the scenes' of the story.

After you're done leaving a glowing review of this chapter, of course.

So, thanks to NightmareSyndrom, eraserman, Pata Hikari, Gloom-shroom, Faaairyfairy, Vehrec, GeneralGeneric and Hefner J for your reviews, and thank you very much for reading.

See you next time!

-Varanus

(edit 25-09-2010 - added the notes after all, tell me if you want me to keep them in. Of course, these are just the abridged version, full story is on my lj page. Also, is anyone else having trouble with the servers on this site or is it just me?)


	16. The Eye

A breather chapter for you all, to recover from the last one.

* * *

**Fail to the King!**

* * *

_Chapter 16 – Eye of the Storm_

* * *

Afterwards, they all had work to do.

Jericho went back to Snow Melody, in order to tell Yukimaru the news and bring her back as soon as possible.

Almaz and Aria went to petition to the Dark Court in order to open the gate back to Evil Academy. However, because of the distance and the shrunken size of the senator list in post-curse Holt, there simply weren't the resources to open a cross-dimension gate in one day. For now, they had no reinforcements.

As for Rozalin and Adell?

"He's awake now," Tileyfa said, sticking her head out of the clinic door. Rozalin and Adell nodded and followed her inside as the nurse went on. "Now, I've taken care of any life threatening injuries, but he'll need to rest and restore his energy before I can re-attach the arm." She smiled slightly. "On the plus side, for the moment we have a solution for his wandering hands, so that's something."

Adell smirked despite the situation. Rozalin nodded in thanks as the nurse bowed and exited the room. She looked over at Tink in the bed, covered in bandages and healing salve. He cracked open an eye and smiled. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly, placing her hand on his bed.

Tink chuckled. "Ah, it got a bit worrying, I won't lie. I saw an angel earlier, wanting to bring me to heaven…" He patted her hand reassuringly. "But I told her I had a better one here, thanks all the same."

Rozalin let out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding and fought to hold back her tears.

"Can we get you anything?" Adell asked, smiling.

Tink grinned. "Adell, my friend, thank you for the offer, because right now I could certainly use a hand," he said, lifting his bandaged stump.

Adell snorted. "Well, obviously you're okay. I don't know why we were worrying about you in the first place," he joked.

"Exactament. You should know by now, a coward may die many deaths, but zey never stick!" grinned Tink.

There was a blur of movement and a yelp of surprise from Tileyfa in the other room, and suddenly Yukimaru was at the foot of the bed, staring at Tink. "Oh, thank goodness, zam…" she said, tears beginning to well up. "When I heard what happened, I…"

"Adell, move it!" ordered Tink. "I don't want a turd spoiling the view of zeez two beautiful flowers!"

"What was that?" Adell scowled playfully, putting the demon into a headlock. "Mind running that past me again?"

"Ah! Monsieur Adell! I am an invalid!" Tink squealed.

Rozalin and Yukimaru burst out laughing as the demon squirmed to get out of Adell's grip, relief finally setting in.

* * *

Outside the clinic room, Jericho watched the scene, closing the door as the four of them began to laugh and chatter in earnest. As he turned to leave, the nurse, Tileyfa, caught his eye.

She raised a bottle of sake in his direction. "Would you like a drink?" Not waiting for an answer, she walked into her office.

Following, Jericho sat down as she poured the rice wine into two small glasses, and shot down both herself.

"Uh…" Jericho began, before Tileyfa handed him one of the glasses and topped it up. Sitting, she poured her drink and sipped on it this time. Jericho stayed quiet. Obviously she had something to say.

"Those four in there?" she began, pointing her pinky in the direction of the other room. "They're heroes. Not flashy, attention-grabbing ones like on TV. Real heroes, the kind that fights for something… worth it."

"Is this to do with Zenon?" Jericho asked.

Tileyfa nodded. "Pretty much anyone could tell you the story, but we keep quiet about it. Nobody asked them to fight Zenon, the imposter Zenon, I mean. Nobody even thought he was a problem, but he was. That curse had robbed the villagers of their consciousness and identity, turning them ever slowly into feral demons."

"You probably don't think humans are anything special compared to demons," she smirked, staring into her glass before draining it. "But they are," she continued. "Demons tend to be lazy, but humans? They're so full of energy! So full of life! Every day, so many of them come rushing in here, asking for me to heal a burn or a cut or a twisted ankle or even a pet cat. Some days I can barely keep up!" She chuckled, and refilled her cup. "Some of the humans think I'm a bottle fairy because of the amount of booze I drink to restore my focus."

Jericho nodded slightly, wondering where the nurse was going with this.

"I have lived here for almost my entire life. When I was only about a hundred, I fell from Celestia," she said. "I was running away from something. What it was, I can't even remember anymore. The village welcomed me with wide open arms. They didn't even care that I was a demon. Without even knowing I could heal, they just welcomed me right in.

"I thought Zenon's curse was just… the end of the village. The end of my little world, going out in a whimper. Holt had dwindled down into nothing. But those children? They brought it back. They saved us all. If you were to ask any one of us here in this village what they thought of them, they'd look you in the eye and say 'heroes, pure and simple'."

She shot back another cup, and refilled it before going on.

"They never wanted thanks, so we never thanked them," she said. "But by God, we watch out for them. Caine and Solei, they stayed in that café in the end because they knew it was _Tink_ that was fighting. We do our best to repay them. It's not a big conspiracy or anything. We just keep an ear open and haze out reporters and hunters on Zenon's trail so they never find Rozalin's real identity.

"And yes," she added, seeing Jericho's surprised look, "We _all_ know she's the true Zenon. She had a relapse, about a month after the final fight with her father, where she was sleepwalking during a nightmare, shooting off a dark aura and talking about how she was 'a being of solitude'. She doesn't remember that, but we do. And it doesn't change a thing. This is her home now, and we want her to remember that. It doesn't matter who she was in the past, Holt Village has always been a place where demons and humans co-existed happily."

"And now?" she laughed bitterly. "After we finally thought Holt could start living again, someone else appears, a breath away from finding out about Rozalin's past. And they're _hunting_ her. And they… they could wipe out Holt in their sleep. There's _nothing_ we can do to help them, but…"

Her hands had begun to shake, and she drained the cup before any sake could spill. Looking Jericho dead in the eye, she continued.

"This is her home." The healer said. "This is _our_ home. We can't simply allow it to be threatened again."

"And that's where we come in, huh?" said Jericho. "Well, we've got a vendetta against them too, and next time we meet we'll be putting them to sleep."

The nurse nodded solemnly. "See that you do. For everyone's sake."

Jericho paused at that, and snorted. "For everyone?" He sighed, seeing Tileyfa's curious expression. "You really did fall from Celestia, didn't you? I'm a demon of Evil Academy. One of the elite, the proudest demons of them all. Demon Lords across the universe vie for our services. You can't just ask one of us for charity."

"Your young Overlord there seemed quite eager to help," she said pointedly.

Jericho scowled. How did she even _know_ Almaz was an Overlord? "He's not my master. My commander ordered me to stick with him, plus he's my ticket home. But just because I'm with the kid Hero doesn't mean I'm a delinqu- It doesn't mean I share his values."

Tileyfa sighed, but had a slight grin curling at the corner of her mouth. "Of course, a true demon would never act out of the goodness of their heart… but a contract would be fine by you, wouldn't it? What would it take for you to protect them?"

"A contract, huh?" Jericho raised his glass in contemplation. "Hmm… got any more saké?"

"Saké?" the nurse exclaimed, and laughed. "Of course. I _am_ a healer after all. We always have the best booze."

"Sounds like we have a deal then," Jericho said, rising. "Since you're a fallen angel I'm guessing I can trust your word and all. When this is over you owe me another drink. Saké, warmed over the smouldering corpses of those hunters."

"It's a date then," Tileyfa smirked. Jericho nodded and left without another word, and the nurse shook her head as she poured herself another drink. Why did demons always have to make things so difficult?

* * *

A barren plain spread as far as the eye could see, the only life there a young man with a black sword. A spike shot out of the earth, forming into a stone spear poised to skewer the swordsman in the back, but he twisted around and brought his sword down, smashing the spear into pieces of rock mid-flight.

A pillar of stone rose out of the ground in front of him.

"Ah crap…" he said, and a dozen spears of stone burst out of the pillar. He side stepped, avoiding most of them, and brought his sword up to block one heading for his chest. An instant before the spear struck the sword, a black bolt of electricity jumped off the blade and shattered it.

The warrior raised his sword again, ready for another barrage, but to his surprise the dead wasteland around him simply faded away, replaced by grass, pavement and small, stone houses. A kunoichi stood nearby, breathing heavily.

"Something the matter?" the young swordsman, who if you haven't figured it out already, was Almaz, asked. "Why did you end it so early?"

"Sorry…" the ninja – Aria, for those of us still behind – panted for breath. "It's just hard to keep… concentrating on that alternate plain… I can try again if you want, but…"

"No, no, you're alright, thanks. Besides, this is a bad place to train anyway," Almaz shrugged. "I'm just…"

"_Nervous, kid?"_ the sword, Monty (though I'm sure by now you've picked up on the theme) piped in.

Almaz looked down at the sword in his hand and grinned. "A little bit."

"Yeah, these'll be the first really strong opponents you'll face as Overlord Hero…" Aria said, pulling her spear from the ground. She gave an idle glance up the street, towards the Dark Assembly, or what little there was of one in this small town. "And with no reinforcements…"

"_Feh. Get within five feet of them and I'll do the rest…"_ muttered Monty.

"Oh, like last time?" Aria shot.

"_Hey, I was just getting warmed up!"_ Monty said, actually jerking forward slightly, dragging Almaz with him. _"You don't even know what I can do!"_

"I know what you can't do – hit a stationary target!" the kunoichi snapped.

"_A sword is only as good as its wielder_," Monty said lightly.

"Hey…" Almaz whined, his shoulders slumping.

"_Uh, heh, no offence meant, kid,_" the sword chuckled. "_Just saying, unlike her, you've seen what I'm really capable of, am I right?_"

Almaz shuddered, remembering Monty's true form. Only, in his memories it was about three feet taller and breathed fire. "Yeah… but how will you be able to do any of that if you're my sword?"

"_Answered your own question there,_" Monty said. "_As long as you're letting me tap into your mana, my power is yours to use._"

Almaz's eyes nearly shot out of his sockets. "So, wait, I can do that thing where you interrupted my Infinite Graves attack?"

"_Aha… no,_" Monty said sheepishly. "_That was just a trick I learned. I can teach it to you over time, but it's not really a technique you can inherit._"

"Oh… then how about that part when you burnt up my sword?"

"_Seeing as that's the reason I'm stuck like this… it's _not_ quite as cracked up as it seems._"

"How about creating those rust demons?"

"_Heh, maybe when you're older._"

Almaz frowned at the sword and tried to ignore the fact that Aria was definitely smirking behind his back. A thought occurred to him then, remembering the turning point in their battle. "What about…" he said slowly. "… that aura blast?"

"_What, the plasma bolts from your hands?_" Monty asked, chuckling. "_Sure, no problem. Now, technically those plasma shots were fired from my armour and not from my aura, but I can probably muster up enough power in this form to adjust your gauntlets to do the same thing, so –_"

"No, not that," Almaz said, shaking his head. He paused in thought. "Well, yeah, plasma blasts, that's awesome, but what I meant was that big surge… that 'Dimension Thrust'."

Monty went silent for a moment, possible stunned from the suggestion. "_The Dimension Thrust? You... heh... I didn't figure you as the type who'd want to use _that. _ Ninja-chick, is he always this crazy?_"

"Not really," Aria shrugged. "But it has been a weird couple of days. What's the big deal?"

"_Oh, nothing,_" Monty said casually. "_Hey, remember that valley back where you smacked the kid over the head?_"

"I don't remember any head-smacking," Aria said pointedly, "But yeah, what about it?"

"_It wasn't a valley. The attack this kid wants to use _carved_ it,_" the sword said. Aria's eyebrows shot up as he went on. "_It's not so much an attack as it is a way of focusing your mana to compress the air around you so densely, it forces it to have a _fusion reaction_. Then you point it at something._"

"You tried to hit me with a _nuke?" _Almaz exclaimed.

"_No, that would be stupid,_" Monty said, sounding insulted. "_Nukes are _fission_ reactions, which I would never use. They pollute the environment._"

"You're kidding me, right?" Almaz asked. For an attack like that, there wouldn't be an environment left to pollute...

"_Kinda_," the sword admitted. "_But when you live as long as I have, you start to have an appreciation for the world you live in!_"

Almaz and Aria stared in utter disbelief at the black, rusted sword of corruption and evil, whose aura started to flicker uncomfortably under the scrutiny. "_So anyway…_" Monty said awkwardly. "_Dimension Thrust, was it?_"

"Would I be able to use it?" Almaz asked.

"_Feh, sure. If we're both in sync as we use it, it'll probably be even more powerful than before,_" the sword said, and Almaz's eyebrows shot up in surprise._ "Keep in mind, though, it doesn't… it doesn't pull the target into an alternate dimension like most attacks of that calibre,_" Monty continued hesitantly. "_I designed it to destroy cities and countries, so if you really want to use it… uh… do it outdoors?_"

Almaz paused, absorbing this new information. "Countries? You've... you've actually destroyed countries?"

"_Countries, planets, even a galaxy on one memorable occasion. Destruction is what weapons _do_, and I am one hell of a weapon,_" the sword replied. "_Besides, I said before, a sword is only as _good_ as it's wielder, and you're not the first person to wield me, kid. Not everyone that can beat me are forces of good. Some of them just want to see the world burn, and I was their flint and tinder_."

"And you don't even..." Almaz frowned, finding the scale of it all hard to accept.

"_This again? I'm a sword,_" Monty said in an indifferent tone, his aura pulsing out as if it was shrugging. "_Even when I was walking around on my own legs, I was a sword. Don't bother worrying about my nature. Feh, but don't forget it either, or I'll wind up stabbing you in the back." _His voice perked up. _"Speaking of back, look who's back!_"

They turned to see Jericho walking towards Adell's house, and Almaz raised his arm in a wave. "Hey! How did it go?"

Jericho shrugged and jumped onto the roof, taking up a sentry position.

"_Awkward…"_ Monty muttered. "_I get the feeling he doesn't really like you_."

Almaz gave a small glare to his sword. "You know, if this whole weapon thing doesn't work out for you, you should become a behavioral analyst. You have a gift."

"_I think I might, but my current gig is just so interesting_," Monty replied. "_It's like watching a trainwreck hurtle down the rails. You know it isn't going to end well, but you just can't pull your eyes away._"

"You don't have eyes…" Almaz muttered lamely. He lifted the sword to put it back in the sheath when he realised he didn't have one anymore. "Hold on, how am I supposed to carry you around?"

"_I figured you'd just hoist me onto your shoulder or something_," the sword said. "_It's a pretty badass look._"

"Lord Almaz wouldn't be able to pull it off," Aria said bluntly. Almaz gave her a reproachful glance, and she grinned sheepishly. "What? I thought Heroes appreciated honesty, right?"

"… Anyway, sword carrying," Almaz said, returning to the problem. "My arms would get tired if I just carried you around like this, and it'd be awkward."

"_Awkward, but badass_," sniffed Monty.

"You're too big a sword to just put in a sheath though," Almaz continued, turning the black blade around to get a better look. It really did seem like just a flat, rectangular sheet of metal, completely rusted over with some black corruption. He could make out patches of gold, as if there was supposed to be some sort runes under all that rust, but other than that it was featureless. "Plus, you're pretty rusty. It's a cool look, but you're going to leave marks everywhere you touch."

"_Ooh, ooh, I got it! I remember this one carrot-top kid who had the same problem!_" Monty exclaimed, and buzzed with energy. His aura burst out and wrapped around itself, binding it down. The yellow glow faded, and Monty was wrapped tightly in white cloth. "_Pretty cool, huh? Ever seen a sword sheathed in bandages?_"

"Once, in a show I liked," Almaz said with a grin, "but the difference was _that_ sword could pull the look off."

"_Ouch, that's harsh, when we're on the same wavelength and everything_," chuckled the sword. The bandages fell off, and the blade crackled with black energy. "_Just for that, do five-hundred swings!_"

"What?" Almaz sighed.

"_Come on! If you're going to act like an Overlord, you need to fight like an Overlord!_"

Almaz sighed. "Right, right, Overlord stuff…"

"No, not an Overlord," Aria said. Almaz and Monty's attention shifted to her as she put her hands on her hips. "Lord Almaz, do I really need to remind you? You're the Overlord _Hero._"

Almaz stared at her in surprise, then smiled, as if remembering something he had almost forgotten. Nodding, he grinned and –

– was interrupted by Monty's laughter. "_Right! Right! An Overlord Hero, a league of your own! In that case, a thousand, no, _ten_ thousand swings!_"

"What?"

"_Come on, kid! You're meant to be a trendsetter! Snap to it!_"

* * *

When Adell, Rozalin and Yukimaru returned, they saw Almaz was still outside, swinging Monty experimentally.

Adell pointed at the house, motioning for Almaz to follow, and they went inside.

As they sat down at the living room table, with Adell's father coming in with tea, the ex-hunter glanced at Almaz's new sword. "How is that working out for you?"

"We've come to some sort of understanding," the young Overlord replied with a sheepish grin, but his expression turned serious. "More importantly, how's your friend?"

"Seems fine," Adell said with a relieved grin. "Tileyfa even managed to re-attach his arm without any problems. He just needs rest."

"Is it safe to leave him alone?" Aria asked.

"Well, he'll be here tomorrow," Adell replied. "But he said that assassin made it quite clear they were only using him to find out where Rozalin was."

"They are trying to lure out the true Zenon, who they seem to be mistaking for my father for now…" Rozalin said. "Still, the situation is bad. If they knew about Tink, then they certainly now know about Father's mansion that I lived in as a child. It's only a matter of time before they find Zenon's Castle. That is, if they do not come to me to try to use me as bait."

"Would that even work?" Almaz asked, frowning.

"My father is dead," She sighed. "All that they would draw out would be ghosts. Some worse than others."

Adell looked away, and held his tongue.

* * *

Sapphire stood at the edge, staring down into the expansive white clouds below her. With a weary sigh, she jumped into their welcoming embrace.

"Oh silk bed sheets~," she sang as she collapsed on her bed, "How I missed you~."

Cyprus lifted his head to look at her. "You're back pretty soon. Did the meeting go well?"

"If wah camfuwd," Sapphire said, her voice muffled by the plush sheets and blankets. She pulled her head from them. "It was cancelled," she clarified. "Secretary Mir was late, so they put it on hold. Then she discussed something with Father, and he decided to shift the meeting to tomorrow morning instead." With a sigh, she dropped her head back on the bed and snuggled into the covers. "And now, I'm tired..."

Father had promised to check out all the books in the realm on the subject of dimension gates, and bring them straight here. But before any real work could be done, Sapphire knew damage control had to be taken care of. The kingdom had apparently breathed a sigh of relief when she had returned, but afterwards the Council was in an uproar, demanding answers. Where had she gone, what had she been doing and the million-dollar question itself, why did she do it?

She could tell them why – because the nature of their prejudices encouraged brave and foolish heroes to venture into the Netherworld and be killed before they even reached the throne. Because all the celebration of heroes and the stigma against demons their culture and media paraded around sent good people to their deaths, armed with nothing more than their pride and their family's ancestral weapon of choice.

It was too easy for them to think, 'Demons are bad, Overlord is worse, we should fight them'.

How did they think that would make her happy?

Of course, that was only part of the reason she had gone in the first place. Sapphire could endure that thought, of the heroes marching off to their doom, because everyone knew not all heroes were Super Heroes. There was nothing you could do about that fact.

Right?

Of course, it all sunk in when _Almaz_ disappeared.

_Her head arched over to watch the guards as they passed on their rounds, but she frowned when she couldn't spot his familiar red scarf. That made it almost a week now of him missing from guard duty. Come to think of it, Secretary Mir had looked worried for the past few days... maybe he was sick?_

"_Is your son well?" she asked the secretary, her question veiled as a polite conversation starter. Sapphire expected Mir to look up with a note of surprise before smiling neutrally and filling her in with how Almaz was doing. Instead, the secretary froze at the question, setting off alarm bells in the Princess' mind. After a glance in the direction of the throne room – where, Sapphire realised, earlier in the week Mir had held an emergency talk with the king – the secretary adjusted her glasses and took a deep breath._

"_Princess..." Mir began hesitantly, and Sapphire's naive little world burst like a bubble._

And suddenly, it was real. Those heroes were suddenly just boys and girls, not really sure of what they were doing. They suddenly had parents who woke them up in the morning, friends they laughed and had arguments with, perhaps even shy admirers who thought the world could only ever continue to turn so long as they could steal a glimpse of them in passing.

And suddenly they were gone, and the world continued without them. Only now, it was Sapphire who had to watch someone she _(liked? loved?)_ needed vanish in her name.

Well, screw that.

For a princess, it wasn't hard to find documents outlining the demonic portal's location in the Devil's Horde to the west. Nor was it tricky to find a demon once she got near to... ahem... guide her to the Academy, where she planned on learning the ways and traditions of the demons in order to eventually topple the Overlord. Enrolling and attending classes was the first step.

She never imagined that it would actually be fun. She never dared hope that it could be with Almaz.

How had he survived this long? Even now it boggled her mind. She was famous (and amongst the military, infamous) throughout the kingdom for her strength, beyond anyone else in the land. He was just a normal guardsman! And yet he had been in there for more than a month!

But, apparently he wanted to keep quiet about that. Mao had been tight-lipped on the subject but Rasberyl had quickly filled her in – that he had been affected by the Netherworld due to losing his title and was slowly transforming into a demon. Without his title marking him as a hero, his heart apparently couldn't resist the influence of the Netherworld's dark aura and was slowly transforming to suit the world around him. Sapphire assumed it was because of her royal heritage that she wasn't slowly becoming a demon too.

(Or maybe people were just right about her? Maybe all those whispers about her being heartless were true?)

But Almaz never cared about that, never worried like she did that she couldn't cry. He saw right past her facade and recognised the girl desperately trying to communicate with the world. All she had to do was remember that day he defended her name after her mother's funeral and she knew she wasn't heartless. How else would she have the strength to keep fighting, for the both of them?

(People began to wonder why she smiled more after that funeral. Why she had suddenly decided to spend her life... well, alive.)

So she cherished every moment there at the Academy, knowing she had to end it quickly for his sake. Get back his title, stick around until the Overlord was defeated, then... something. A parade, maybe. Except Mao himself laughed at her quest – the Overlord part, at least. It was pretty bittersweet to learn the Overlord was not trying to hunt her, or any princess for that matter. It meant she could put a stop to heroes rushing off for glory... but it also meant their predecessors died for nothing. That Almaz was in dire straights... for nothing.

(And the new Overlord was even less likely to kidnap her... or was he? She didn't think he really had it in him, but it didn't matter. If he didn't, there would be no threat for heroes to charge off too. If he did, she would be with him again. Either way, she had abandoned him... for nothing.)

She was tired, she realised. She spent two weeks researching what she would have to do to reach the Netherworld, and a month actually there. It was at once the most dangerous, blood-soaked, violent time of her life and also the most wonderful holiday she had never dared hope she could have. She took it for granted that he was just... there. Like he always was, safe and sound.

But then, he was never safe, was he? While he was always jumping to defend her (a bad habit she assumed all heroes had, or at least did until they had the misfortune of meeting Aurum in the flesh), he was the one the clock was ticking for. First when he disappeared into the Netherworld, next when he was transforming into a demon, then near the end when he took a bullet for her, snatching away that cursed trap from her arms.

(He had _died._ Actually _died._ All without asking for help, only trying to save Mao. All while saying he never managed to be a hero.)

And suddenly he was free from all that and they were together. He was alive again, right beside her, their hands sharing shy, glancing touches as they ran side by side, racing with Mao, Rasberyl and Champloo towards the final battle, Kyoko and Asuka giggling knowingly behind them. He was alive and the clock's hands were no longer scythes hanging over him and everything was right.

A perfect, naive little bubble.

(Why had she panicked when they beat Aurum? Why?)

And now it was over, and it didn't need to be... it shouldn't have been... and it was all her fault because she left him behind, and now she was locked out and Almaz was in trouble and she didn't know who would be there to help him.

'_Which means I had better hurry up and find a way to get to him, doesn't it?'_ she scowled to herself, rather furious at her attitude of defeatism lately.

With that thought, her doubts were banished. She had a goal now, and may god have mercy on anyone that got in the way of her warpath!

"Right, no time for moping!" she said, jumping up. "Cyprus, fetch me my chainsaw!" She twirled around and pointed dramatically out the window towards a grand domed building across the castle grounds. "We're going to visit... the library!"

Cyprus dragged the chainsaw over to her feet, then perked up as he heard something. Jumping onto the bed, he lay down so he was in plain view like he used to at the academy so he was in plain view to anyone who entered the room, a plain reminder to anyone that the princess was most certainly _not_ helpless and alone. Sapphire glanced at him just as there was a knock on her door "Come in!" she called.

Mir entered the room and froze, first spotting Cyprus on the bed staring evenly at her, then looking to see the princess heft the large chainsaw onto her back and hide it behind her long hair. "Oh, hello Mir. Does my hair hide it well enough?" Sapphire asked honestly. "I don't want anyone from the castle taking it from me before I'm finished with it."

"It... it's hidden perfectly, Princess..." Mir said carefully. Indeed it was – Sapphire's hair was practically a curtain that completely concealed the chainsaw on her back. Well, at least that explained where she kept all those axes she had a habit of 'innocently' toying with when certain chancellors began to get on her nerves. One of the great Rhodonite mysteries, solved conclusively. Not bad in a morning's work.

Before she really realised she was still speaking, Mir found herself adding, "Shall I fetch your highness' hockey mask too, or is this a casual affair?" Her mouth snapped shut in horror as her mind caught up with her mouth.

Sapphire laughed. "No, no, that won't be necessary. I just hate running around for keys if a door is locked, that's all." She tapped her cheek, play thoughtfully. "Although, I will keep it in mind in case tomorrow's meeting drags on."

Mir took a sharp breath at that, surprising Sapphire. With a pang of guilt, she realised Mir was still looking for news about Almaz's fate. News she no doubt hoped the prodigal princess would bring. But as much as she hated herself to admit it, Sapphire just wasn't prepared to bring the time she spent with him out into the open. The guilt of keeping a secret weighed far less than the guilt of telling his mother she abandoned him.

"What was it you wanted to see me for, Mir?" Sapphire asked, pulling herself out of her reprieve.

The secretary bowed, just enough to be respectful but not enough to show submission. "It's a matter I was going to bring up in the meeting, but speaking with your father, I decided it would be wisest to bring it up with you, just so the record is... clear."

Those words struck the princess with a petrifying sense of the past catching up with her far too soon, and Sapphire could barely nod for Mir to continue.

"I just wanted to be sure..." the secretary said. "No, I _need_ to be sure that you're not hiding anything that you need to tell me."

"Like what?" Sapphire said, almost cringing about how transparent she sounded. Her time in the Academy had practically been a holiday for her as she was able to speak her mind and solve any problems with an axe to the head or an arrow to the heart. Now that she was back home, however, her battles were fought in the mucky arena of politics, and she was _rusty_.

Sensing her worry, Cyprus shifted behind her. Mir gave the demon a glance, a nervous crack in her otherwise perfectly polished steel expression, and clarified. "I think you're aware. It's about my son. Last night, I received a phone call from him."

"Is he alright?" Sapphire blurted out immediately. Politics be damned, she had to know.

"A-apparently," Mir said, startled by her outburst. "He was with several demons on Veldime, and he said there was some trouble he was trying to help them with."

"Veldime?" Sapphire asked, perplexed. "Where... wait, the planet? Veldime, as in the _planet?_"

"That was my reaction as well," Mir admitted. "Afterwards, I wasn't sure what to do, but I got some advice that sorted out my priorities."

"Oh?" Sapphire said, still confused as to how Almaz arrived on another planet. Cyprus kept an unblinking eye on the secretary, unnoticed by either women.

"Princess..." Mir began, relaxing slightly. "I want you to know, that in the last twelve years I have worked in the castle, you have grown from a sweet young girl to a brave and noble young lady. I want you to be certain that, in all honesty, I am proud of you and deeply respect you."

"T-thank you," Sapphire replied hesitantly.

"That said..." Mir admitted, taking a breath to ease her nerves. She pushed her glasses up her nose and spoke in her upmost formal tone of voice as she stared right into Sapphire's eyes. "My son is missing. Perhaps I am to blame for that, but I'm planning to do everything in my considerable power to change that. And if your highness knows something that could help him, but are hiding it for whatever reason, not even the title of Princess will stop me from learning that secret. As I see it, your highness can either tell me willingly or I can drag it out in front of the entire Royal Council tomorrow morning. 'Tis up to your highness' discretion," she finished, bowing.

Sapphire stared at Mir, eyes as wide as saucers from the sudden ultimatum. "T-that –" the princess began, then paused, clearing her throat and recovering. "That could cause a huge scandal for the palace," she said in an even, neutral tone. "What you're suggesting is to outright countermand the agenda my father is making in favour of your own. If not for your dedication to the crown, even suggesting such a thing could be viewed as borderline treason. Are you comfortable with that?"

Sapphire was relieved she didn't seem to have lost all her political touch during her stay in the Academy.

"I am his Majesty's secretary," Mir reminded Sapphire. "His agenda passes though me, and he has already agreed to help me with whatever it takes to find Almaz. As royal secretary and loyal servant of the throne, I can bury your highness under a mountain of red tape until the truth comes to light." She sighed, removing her glasses. "But, as a mother, I hope it won't come to that. Please, Princess... this isn't about you, me or my job. This is about finding my son. If you know anything... you know where I am."

And with that, she turned curtly on her heels and left.

Sapphire sat down on the bed, at a loss for words. "...Huh."

"Do you want me to go after her? I know your actions are limited at home..." Cyprus said, a growl rumbling in the back of his voice.

"No thank you," Sapphire replied, reaching back to scratch behind his ears. She didn't correct him for suggesting to attack Mir, it was just his nature to react to any threat the same way. She was gladder that he knew well enough to check with her before leaping into action.

Did Mir even know how much danger she had been in by challenging her right in front of Cyprus? Then again, the risks probably didn't matter to her... even if her wolf hadn't been there, Mir had still risked everything – her job, her reputation, her entire life just to save Almaz...

And here Sapphire was, so ashamed of her mistake that she instinctively pulled up _another_ mask to hide the truth, this time from his own mother? What was _wrong_ with her?

Jumping to her feet, Sapphire quickly rushed out of her room. "Mir?" she called, stopping the secretary just as she was about to turn a corner.

Unseen by Sapphire, Mir quickly tucked back into her pocket a handkerchief she had used to wipe the cold sweat from her brow after her _direct challenge to the crown princess with her loyal pet demon right behind her._ With a deep breath to settle the butterflies who had decided to aggressively invade her stomach in this moment of weakness, she turned and nodded respectfully to Sapphire. "Yes, Princess?"

Sapphire paused a moment before speaking, glancing quickly at her wolf. "I'm going to the library. Would you be kind enough to accompany me?"

"... Of course, it would be my pleasure, Princess," Mir replied, hopeful. "What is it that your highness is looking for?"

"A way to reach Almaz," the princess replied, taking the lead so the secretary couldn't see her face. "And I hope, after all this is over, you can simply call me Sapphire."

* * *

On the rooftop, Jericho watched the village, sharp and alert as the sun set over Holt and the stars came out. He had been on guard ever since he had arrived back from the clinic, watching Holt for the slightest shift in attitude. After the events this morning and his talk with Tileyfa, his fatigue had lifted with the promise he had made.

And so he watched over Holt on that rooftop.

Several hours after the sun set, there was a rattle as a window on the roof behind him opened and someone stepped out. Jericho glanced back to see Almaz stand up, brushing off his coat absently.

Without a word, Jericho returned to his guard.

"Thanks for your help with Monty," Almaz said after a moment.

Jericho shrugged. "Of course."

"Do you think he'll be trouble?" the young Overlord asked.

'_Look who's talking…'_ Jericho thought. "Maybe."

"Phoenix and Cinos are going to attack again soon, aren't they?"

Jericho rolled his eyes. _'Well duh...'_ "Probably."

"Do you think we'll… be ready?" Almaz asked unsurely.

Jericho sighed. "We'll have to be."

They were both silent for a while afterwards, Almaz looking into the sky and Jericho on alert. Still, with the Overlord right there, Aria's words the other night kept rising to his mind. He sort of understood her point, coming so far in two short months was astoundingly impressive feat for any demon, let alone a human, but Jericho still couldn't shake it.

This was just a kid, not even a demon even! He shouldn't be on the Overlord's throne, for everyone's sake. What was he even in the Netherworld for in the first place, anyway? He should be home, doing whatever the hell human kids did, not here, and certainly not in the Dark Academy, messing up thousands of years of demonic rule!

"It's weird…" Almaz muttered, half to himself. "I can pick up some of the constellations, but can't spot most of the usual ones I could see from home…"

"Stargazer, huh?" Jericho asked idly. "You don't find that much in the Netherworld."

"Oh yeah?" Almaz raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. The only reason demons look to the sky is to spot enemies from the cosmos," Jericho said breezily. "Watching the sky for enemies is a lesson you learn quick if you want to see your thousandth birthday. You know Baciels? They first came from the sky. Dragons too – they're actually aliens."

Almaz chuckled. "Give me a break, like I'd believe that. Besides, I'm only eighteen. There's time left."

He… was only eighteen? Jericho stopped, his mind boggling. He couldn't even _remember_ when he had been eighteen. To most demons, eighteen years would be a rather long nap. No wonder the Netherworld was so shocked and stunned – to most of the demons, this kid had literally come out of nowhere, suddenly ruling them all as king of a world where he didn't belong.

He shouldn't be here, fighting off murderous god-hunters or sitting on a throne. He should be home, doing whatever it is human kids do…

And yet here he was…

Jericho sighed. Walking to Almaz's side, he raised his hand and pointed into the sky. "Look over there."

Almaz jolted to attention. "What is it? An attack?"

"No, it's something I noticed last night," Jericho said as he shook his head. "Just… look at those stars there. That cluster that sort of looks like the number four?"

Almaz nodded slowly. "Uh, yeah, I think…"

"Okay, see the second one to the end? The larger one that isn't twinkling."

"I can't –"

"Look harder," Jericho ordered. "It's got a greenish-blue tint, it's slightly larger than the others and it's steadily glowing."

"Oh! Yeah, I see it," Almaz said, spotting the dot in the sky. "What is it?"

"That's Gaia, your planet."

Almaz froze and stared at it silently for a long while. Jericho glanced at him, unsure of what he just did, and was about to return to his guard when Almaz spoke. "It's very far away…" he said quietly.

Jericho nodded, not really knowing what else to do. He didn't really know why he had pointed out the planet to Almaz. What had prompted it? Silently, they both watched the sky for a little longer.

"Sorry about the ambush back during the invasion," Almaz said eventually.

Jericho shrugged. "Whatever. Just don't fall for it again, it's not a mistake you can afford to make twice."

Almaz nodded and went back to watching the stars. _'Such a kid…'_ Jericho thought. _'But I suppose it can't be helped…'_

Jericho returned to the watch with those thoughts mulling over in his head – when he caught a whistle in the wind. A split second later he realised what it was, swore, and reared to the side with a shout, shoving Almaz out of the way.

He felt a jolt and a wave of heat wash over him, but the pain didn't register until he looked down and saw an all-too-familiar red spearhead stabbed through his chest.

Dumbly, the samurai looked up to see Almaz's shocked face, blood that wasn't his splashed on his white coat. He saw the kid yell something, probably shouting out to him, but Jericho couldn't hear a sound. He turned his head to the side and, in the corner of his eye, saw his assailant grinning wickedly at him.

"Phoe… nix…" he gasped.

The spear was wrenched out, and Jericho slipped off the edge of the roof and fell down, down into darkness, the only light coming from the flickering of a sadistic Valkyrie's fiery spear and the stars high above.

The last thing he saw before he hit the ground was that blue-green dot, Almaz's home.

* * *

_Chapter 16 –end– _

* * *

Varanotes: … wait, what?

Dammit Phoenix, this was meant to be a _breather!_

- Varanus


	17. Bird of Prey III

Any Kingdom Hearts fans? Check out my two Birth By Sleep parody fics!

Also, "The Viper" (Echidna's Theme) from the Devil May Cry 4 soundtrack is excellent fight music for Phoenix. Check it out.

* * *

**Fail to the King!**

* * *

_Chapter 17__ – Bird of Prey III_

* * *

Rozalin lay in her bed in a fruitless attempt to get some sleep. Of course, she knew it was impossible, but she had to make at least a token effort, didn't she? '_Still_,' she thought as her eyes drifted closed, '_it was utterly pointless to even try to…_'

_A stark, lonely battlefield. A hundred enemies rise to face her, but Zenon only has eyes for the__ that lay dying in her arms. The girl's eyes are wide with panic, she opens her mouth for a desperate plea. Zenon gave her reply, and the girl burst into crystal sand, every tiny mote a priceless diamond. One such mote is blood red, the girl's heart, Zenon knows. She reaches out to it, senses the girls true nature and from the final speck of her that remains, Zenon forges something terrible…_

Rozalin's eyes shot open and she gasped desperately for breath. Shuddering violently, she began breathing deeply to shrug off the dark, pervading feeing of despair and loneliness that she felt whenever one of her past memories bubbled to the surface.

This one was so vivid though… and Rozalin realised that she knew who that girl in her dream was.

Etoile. She was the girl that Tav was trying to avenge. She was the root of it all.

Rozalin sighed, regaining her composure. Her subconscious was trying to tell her something… but what? The uncertainty gnawed at her, bringing with it a feeling of dread.

On the plus side, now she could justify staying with Adell for the night. Snatching her robe, she slipped out of her room and down the corridor to Adell's. She tried to move quietly, as usual, but the floorboards creaked as they always did, the treacherous bastards.

Rozalin winced at the sound and continued to walk towards Adell's door, but as she glanced to check the balcony as usual she froze, seeing someone else there.

Aria, spear drawn and bewilderment spread across her face.

At the first creak of the floorboards, Aria had rushed like a shadow to the source of the sound, and now the two women were staring at each other in confusion, neither having expected the other. Aria glanced between Rozalin to Adell's door, and made the connection.

"Ah, sorry, I heard a sound…" she said sheepishly, blushing slightly in embarrassment as she lowered her spear. "I, uh, didn't mean to interrupt anything…"

"Interrupt…?" Rozalin's face was bright red at the horror of being caught moving between the rooms. Oh gods, and it was a _guest…_ oh gods, and she was making assumptions on what was happening... oh gods, and she was probably correct in her guesses... "No, that's not what I…"

"I came scouting for threats," Aria said, lowering her head and avoiding eye-contact out of embarrassment. "But I didn't see anything, is that right?"

"R-right!" Rozalin nodded, still blushing furiously but nevertheless relieved at the kunoichi's discretion.

"So I'll just get back to patrol, huh?" Aria said, backing up and turning. The ninja paused, a thought occurring to her, and she glanced back at Rozalin with an innocent look on her face. "While I'm talking aloud, if someone wanted to move quietly on wood floors like this they'd stick close to the walls, since the boards are less likely to creak there." She winked. "Have a good night~!"

Rozalin stared, staring eyes wide in disbelief at the ninja, and Aria ghosted around the corner before she could recover. Eventually Rozalin did, and she considered going after the kunoichi to 'correct' her. "Honestly…" she muttered under her breath, and sighed. Glancing at the floor, however, she stepped closer to the wall and made her way to Adell's room, taking care to step only on the boards beside the wall.

Not a single one creaked, and when she reached the door she almost burst out with a quick, relieved laugh. Finding herself in a much better mood, she silently opened the door to the room, deciding to subtly thank Aria later.

Rozalin slipped into Adell's room quietly, startling the ex-hunter sitting quietly on his bed. Seeing who it was, he flashed a small smile and returned his gaze outside the window.

"I'm surprised you're still up," Rozalin said, breaking the silence, when she saw he was not about to speak himself. "Even in the midst of all the drama three years ago you'd swear by a good nights sleep, no matter what the situation."

Adell chuckled and shrugged, but remained silent. Clearly, he was just as worried about the attack today as she was. She sat beside him on the bed and leaned into him, trying to bring him away from his thoughts. "There was always a risk of this, Adell… but we'll get through it."

Adell nodded idly, and Rozalin realised that what happened to Tink was not the only thing on his mind. "What's bothering you?" Still, he kept silent, so she rose from the bed and stood in front of him, looking him in the eye. "Tell me," she said in a voice that brooked no argument.

"Rozalin, I… I just don't get it…" Adell sighed, hanging his head and looking away.

Rozalin frowned, putting her arms on her hips. "Well? What is it you don't get?" she asked, before grinning slightly. "In particular, I mean. I don't want a list of every subtlety your meagre brain cannot grasp."

Adell frowned, glaring from the corner of his eye, but he just shook his head. Rozalin sensed he was actually frustrated about something, but couldn't for the life of her guess what it could be. Another day she would have dropped the issue, but with her nerves frayed after their confrontation with Phoenix and after her nightmare, she was in no mood to stomach Adell's poor demeanour. "Adell, really now, what is it?" she demanded.

Adell massaged his forehead, as if trying to hide behind his own hands. "Earlier, you called the fake Zenon your father."

Rozalin raised an eyebrow at this. "Yes, so?" she asked, adding with a hint of sarcasm, "Is it so odd for someone to refer to their parent as such?"

"I just don't get how you could call a guy like that your father."

Rozalin sighed, and wondered how long this had been bubbling under his skin. It was certainly a long time since they had _this _discussion. "Adell, I'm neither forgiving nor ignoring his sins, far from it, but even so he was still the only father I ever knew. He may have caged me, but he still protected and provided for me. Most people could never be that lucky."

"You're not 'most people' Rozalin!" Adell insisted. "You just… He did more than cage you! He used you as a… a trophy! You can't call a man like that a father!

Maybe it was her shot nerves, maybe it was the talk of her father, which she knew would always be a wound in her heart, but Rozalin snapped, turning on Adell. "It's very easy for you to talk like that!" she said coldly "You've had your pick of parents! You can reject and embrace them to your hearts' content!

"What's that supposed to mean?" Adell glared.

"It means I don't expect you to understand I've accepted my parentage, considering you refuse to do the same!" she accused. "You won't acknowledge your own parents, yet you preach to me about it? Of all things, Adell, I never took you for a hypocrite."

"Okay, whoa, stop," Adell said, raising his hands in defence. "What? Not accepting my parents? That's crazy, I've never seen Mom and Dad as anything but –"

"Not them." Rozalin snapped. "Your blood parents."

Adell stared at her in disbelief. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said in a flat voice. "I forgave Shura and Serion the moment I learned the truth. I know they're my real parents."

"Oh? Really?" Rozalin asked bitingly. "Then why are your eyes blue?" The question froze Adell in his spot. "I doubt you've realised," she continued, glaring at him as he stood in shock, "but now and then, if you're fighting or thinking deeply, there's a flash of red in your eyes, and sometimes I wonder if that's not your real eye colour. Your real self."

"I don't know what…" Adell began.

"And I wonder, Adell," Rozalin continued, reaching into his bushy red hair to grab a very human ear. "Why is it that your ears are round? If you've accepted your parentage like you say, shouldn't they be pointed?"

"Stop that!" Adell snarled, batting her hand away.

She took one look at his angry expression and sneered. "Baring your teeth? Why do that when you don't have fangs? Why flex your fingers like that if you don't have claws? Why, Adell? When you are so honest with others, why do you lie to yourself?"

"I'm not lying!" snapped Adell. He shook his head violently. "Anyway, this isn't about me, this is about that fake Zenon!"

"No, Adell, this is about you being totally incapable of understanding what it's like to accept someone as family, no matter how much it might hurt," Rozalin shot, arms crossed.

"Well have you considered that the reason I might have so much difficulty seeing them as parents is because I thought that they abandoned me?" Adell snarled in retort. "And need I remind you who it was that had enslaved them, who they were forced to serve as I… as I killed them with my own damn hands!"

"So all this really is all about you then?" Rozalin snapped. She immediately regretted the words, but even knowing the damage was done she stood resolute.

However, the words seemed to bounce right off Adell "It's not about me!" he said. "Or you, even! It's about him! He… he doesn't deserve you…" His voice died down as he lost the will to continue the argument. "He doesn't deserve to be called your father…"

Those words drained Rozalin of her anger, and the two just stared at each other in a quiet trance.

Why now?

Why did these words have to be spoken now, of all times? Rozalin couldn't fathom an answer. These thoughts had been bubbling under the surface for a long time now, obviously, but why was it that the flame that caused these feelings to boil over was the flames of those demons, hunting her past. Neither of them had time for these words now, not the time that they deserved. Then again, some of the best solutions to their problems had been discovered through their arguing…

But she didn't feel very much like arguing anymore. With a sigh, she leaned against him wearily. Not as a foe surrendering, but as a young woman tired beyond her years. "You are… the most frustrating man…"

Adell wrapped his arms around her. "Roz, I'm…"

"Don't apologise," she murmured. "Just, hush now…"

"Alright…" Adell nodded. A thought occurred to him, and he pulled back from her to see her face. "Hey, Roz. Do my eyes really flash red sometimes?"

Rozalin smiled playfully. "Mmm… it's subtle, but it's there if you look for it." She tilted her head slightly as her breath quickened. "Of course, I…"

"You…?" Adell asked with the beginnings of a playful grin, not really looking for an answer as they drew one another in to a warm embrace, their faces growing closer -

- When out of the corner of their eyes they saw a body fall past the window, and heard a scream.

"_JERICHO!"_

* * *

"That's kind of disappointing…" the wicked Valkyrie chuckled. "I expected him to put up more of a fight."

Almaz stared in shock at Phoenix, who was looking over the edge of the roof with a smirk. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "I hope you took notes," she said, winking. "_That's_ how you do a strike from above. Don't bleed your mana everywhere like a child. You _focus…_" She raised her spear and turned to face him. "It's just _rage… _and_ FIRE!"_

Almaz barely snapped out of his shock in time, and dodged her stab with a sidestep, up the roof. She grunted in amusement and whipped the spear around with blinding speed, smacking him with the blunt end of the shaft and sending him sliding along the roof, scattering the tiles.

Almaz reached out and grabbed the window frame he was sliding past to stop himself from falling right off the roof, then looked up to see Phoenix dive for him with anther stab. Quickly, he latched onto his mana and summoned his illusionary katana, raising them in a block. As the spear came down he twisted them to pin the fiery weapon down, bringing himself face to face with Phoenix.

"Are you still playing with these things?" Phoenix asked sceptically. She yanked her spear, trying to free it. Almaz's illusionary swords splintered and cracked but held firm, eliciting a sigh from the Valkyrie. "Word to the wise, kid, an illusionary weapon is only good for one thing. Attack or defence, it's one or the other," she said, unperturbed. "The mana can only be focused one way. From that cheap shot you nailed me with back at the Academy, I'm guessing these things are for attacking, am I right?" She violently tugged the spear, sending cracks even further along the blades, and Almaz could feel them weakening. He was losing the stalemate.

Phoenix chuckled idly. "Yeah, I thought so. Incidentally, that's what makes illusionary spears so great – they're geared to defence, but a spike of superdense mana is still lethal if it hits you dead on, which is exactly how a spear should be. That's why so many spear techniques use illusionary weaponry."

"Why are you even telling me this?" Almaz asked desperately, struggling to keep hold of his swords.

Phoenix laughed. "Because you're not a freaking threat to me anymore!"

"Yeah?" Almaz asked. He twisted his body, pushing the spear away from himself. Phoenix was caught by surprise now that her weapon was free, but before she could move Almaz finished his twist and struck his foot out in a hard roundhouse kick, planted right in her gut. "Try saying that when you're wearing more than just gauntlets!"

Mr. Champloo would have been proud.

The Valkyrie was sent flying away from him, and before she could right herself Almaz threw his cracked katana at her. They whirled through the air like buzz-saws, but a whipping spear shattered all three mid-flight. "I told you," Phoenix yelled, landing on her feet and skidding to a halt. "Those things are just mana! It's fluff in the shape of a sword!"

"I know, dammit! I read Bleach too, you know!" yelled Almaz.

Phoenix actually paused at that. "…what."

"And speaking of Bleach, I've got a sword wrapped in bandages too!" he continued.

"Shut up!" yelled the Valkyrie, hurling her flaming spear at him. Almaz yelped, falling backwards as the spear passed over him, and in desperation he punched right through the window he had come through to reach the roof. The glass shattered under his gauntlet and he desperately scrambled for…

Here he was!

Just in time too, as Phoenix dived forward, spear raised. Swinging around, her spear shot forward at Almaz – and with a resounding clash of metal, met the rusted blade of Monty.

"_What the – hey, I know you! The bitch from earlier!"_ Monty laughed. He didn't seem too surprised at suddenly being dragged into battle, in actual fact he seemed eager. His bandages, still wrapped around the blade, suddenly shot forward, binding Phoenix's spear. _"Glad to have a rematch, but I hate it when things are fair._ _Kid, pull!"_

Almaz didn't need to be told twice, violently swinging the sword behind him and yanking Phoenix's spear from her hands, sending it flying with the rest of Monty's bandage sheath into the air behind them. Phoenix's face twisted into one of utter outrage, but before she could jump to retrieve it or summon up an illusionary proxy, Almaz took a step forward, mana burning around him.

"Blade Rush!" he yelled, a pulse of mana sending him and Monty cutting right through Phoenix at point-blank range. The Valkyrie didn't even get a chance to raise her arms in defence, as the black blade dove into her unprotected gut and chopped her neatly in two.

Almaz skidded to a halt and stared in disbelief as Phoenix's severed upper body collapsed, landing a few feet away from her legs. "Holy crap… did we actually get her?" he asked in disbelief.

"_Eyes in the sky, kid!"_ Monty shouted, and Phoenix's corpse burst into flames, crumbling to ash. _"It's not over yet!"_

Almaz looked up and saw a blaze of fire, with Phoenix at its head. "H-how did she -?"

"Catch this, jackass!" she laughed, diving for him with the blazing spear of fire in her hands.

"Oh crap!" No time to dodge, he barely raised Monty to block before he was skewered. The spear struck the flat of the wide, dark blade and a strange resonating peal of metal on metal rang out in the air as the two weapons clashed. Almaz barely had a moment to register it, as Phoenix found her footing on the sloped roof and with a rush of fire and sparks blasted the young Hero right over the edge.

As he fell, Almaz thought he heard Monty chuckle and mutter _"No wonder she seemed familiar…"_

Almaz twisted in the air and managed to land upright, if not actually on his feet. Okay fine, he fell on his ass. "Ow... I fell on a rock..." he groaned. Wincing, he looked up at the roof and, with a bolt of panic, saw Phoenix diving after him, her psychotic smirk plastered across her face and her spear poised to kill. Monty's words forgotten, Almaz scrambled to rise to his feet and was luckily plucked out of the Valkyrie's path by Aria, who set him down a safe distance away.

Suddenly, another red blur shot out from a window in the house and tackled Phoenix mid-flight, carrying both of them to the courtyard. "Adell!" shouted Almaz in surprise and relief as the ex-demon hunter landed a scissor kick on the stunned Valkyrie, sending her flying into the earth.

Adell landed lightly on the ground, his back to Almaz, who grinned, "Thanks for the save." Adell didn't take his eyes off Phoenix, but did raise his hand to give the young Overlord a thumbs-up as the Valkyrie stood up shakily. Adell's hand twisted to point his thumb down, and he pounced.

Phoenix looked up to see Adell rushing for her, and snarled. "I don't think so!" she said, stabbing forward with a lightning fast thrust of her spear. The ex-hunter's eyes narrowed, and suddenly his body blurred, splitting into two, three, finally five copies. "Oh, this is going to suck," she groaned, whipping her spear back to defend, which proved pointless as Adell materialised right inside her guard, his fist connecting with her chin in a mighty uppercut that sent her flying into the air.

Phoenix's vision went white for a moment from the shock of the hit, but her hands moved automatically when a gunshot rang out and a bullet infused with mana struck her on her shoulder. Growling, she skidded to a halt mid-air and whipped her spear around, swatting away two other shots before they could hit. Blinking the stars from her eyes, she finally found her bearings after a vital spilt-second loss of sight.

She didn't like what she saw.

Most people wouldn't, considering it was the barrel of a gun.

The fact that the woman holding the gun was only wearing a thin nightdress might have been compensation for others, but Phoenix wasn't inclined to sit around and enjoy that kind of scenery, especially as she realised the woman was surrounded by glowing orbs of light in all directions.

'_Shooting Star… crap!'_ Phoenix swore internally as she jerked her head to the side to avoid a point-blank shot to her face, the searing pink beam of mana grazing her cheek as it passed. Rozalin whipped her wings out, pushing some distance between the two women, and fired her Noble Rose in several directions, the orbs of light automatically moving to where they were needed. Pink beams ricocheted around the Valkyrie, so fast it seemed like a cage of mana, trapping her.

Phoenix snarled, not about to let Rozalin land the final blow, made a forward thrust with her hands. Spears of fire burst into life around the Valkyrie, rocketing out and piercing the orbs of light. There was a moment where Rozalin's mana infused orbs managed to hold together, and then her own bullets rebounded into them and the spears of flame.

And Phoenix smirked.

Adell leapt up and snatched Rozalin away from the cage of light just as the spears exploded violently, becoming a massive ball of fire and sound that shook every window in Holt. Inside the flames, Phoenix cackled and reached out to the burning mana, infusing it with her own power to reshape it into something grand and destructive.

That laugh became a snarl of frustration as the flames died, bathed in a frigid aura. Cold winds infused with even colder mana scattered the beginnings of Phoenix's counterattack into smoke, and a dagger of ice shot for her throat. She caught it and turned it into steam, but a dozen more burst from the smoke and forced her to dodge, dropping from her perch in mid-air and landing in the ground.

The moment her feet touched the ground, Phoenix summoned up a wave of heat to surround her, melting the flying ice daggers that had followed her descent. "That was new," she grinned, peering into the mist and smoke that obscured her view of her foes. "I take it I haven't been introduced to someone then?"

"Indeed, though I cannot say our meeting is fortuitous, zam," said Yukimaru, striding out of the smoke to face the sadistic spear-woman, smiling grimly. "At least, not for you."

Yukimaru and Phoenix shot towards each other, blades poised to kill. Phoenix brought her spear around at the last moment in a sweeping slash, the flaming spearhead of her weapon easily long enough to slice the Snow Clan kunoichi into ribbons. But Yukimaru didn't even try to block, letting the spear cut into her side and chop her body into two.

The illusion broke and Yukimaru's body fell apart into the pile of snow it really was. Phoenix had a split-second of surprise before her grin grew even wider and she carried the momentum of her swing, spinning around to strike the _real_ Yukimaru who was diving in for a sneak attack. The woman of the Snow Clan twisted her blade and wreathed it in ice, catching the flaming spearhead in a deadlock just before it removed her head.

"Well, as I live and breath, could you be a Snow Clan ninja?" Phoenix asked amicably as they struggled for dominance.

"Kunoichi," Yukimaru corrected coolly. "Though I'm surprised you know of our clan."

"Oh, that's because Aleph was so kind to fill me in," Phoenix said lightly, momentarily relishing the slight widening of the kunoichi that betrayed her shock, and continued speaking. "He mentioned something about dragging your sorry asses out of extinction after Zenon damn near wiped you out. Sounds to me like you should be on his side, not the side with Zenon's daughter."

"It is true we owe a great debt to Aleph for aiding our clan's survival," conceded Yukimaru. "But we owe also owe a great debt to Miss Rozalin for aiding our clan's avengement. And in times of crisis, blood must stand with blood."

"Wait, you're related to the girl?" Phoenix asked, surprised.

"It is none of your concern, zam," Yukimaru said calmly, "because my counterattack has begun." The mist rolling around them glowed and suddenly transformed in a thick layer of ice, reaching up to their shins and trapping both Phoenix and Yukimaru. Locked with her foe's burning spear, the kunoichi's blade flashed similarly, and the ice that sheathed it expanded and shot forward, wrapping up the Valkyrie in another thick block of ice.

Glaring coldly at her foe, Yukimaru's expression grew dark. "After all, I understand you are Tink's assailant?" She asked, rhetorically. Phoenix just smirked her mocking smile, not fazed by the iron tight hold Yukimaru's jutsu had on her as the nin continued. "He is a pervert and unrepentant coward, but he is _our_ coward. For hurting one of my precious allies, I will freeze you where you stand, a testament to the Snow Clan's wrath!

"Die trying!" laughed Phoenix, flexing her mana. Her icy cage hissed like a viper as ice turned immediately into steam. For a moment, Yukimaru's cage seemed to hold, but then a fatal crack appeared and the Vakyrie smashed a hand free.

Yukimaru dove, kunai ready, while Phoenix materialised a spear of fire and sent it rocketing with perfect aim at the nin. Ice met fire, and the two opposite forces annihilated each other.

Violently.

"Yukimaru!" Adell and Rozalin shouted, as once more Holt was lit by a massive explosion. They flinched as the shockwave of the blast swept over them and ran towards their friend, dreading what might have happened to her.

They reached the spot as the smoke began to clear, and saw Yukimaru panting with exertion inside a tall orb of ice… no, a shell that curved over where Phoenix was standing to contain the blast.

Rozalin let out a sigh of relief to see the Snow nin safe. Adell glanced at the site of the explosion, tense and ready for a sneak attack from Phoenix, but all he could see was scorched pavement.

"Wait… wouldn't there be a crater for that kind of explosion?" he wondered aloud, realising what was wrong with the scene.

"No, this was just a diversion, zam," Yukimaru said, getting unsteadily to her feet. "The explosion wasn't that hot, it was mainly light and sound. She was trying to escape, zam."

"And she has…" sighed Rozalin.

"Oh no she hasn't!" Adell snarled. "Yukimaru, she can't have gotten far!"

She smirked. "I know, Sir Adell. This time she won't get away. Follow me, zam!"

Adell nodded and they both took off at full sprint, following Phoenix's footsteps down the streets of Holt. They picked up speed until, after only a few moments of running, they left the boundaries of the village and were running down through the countryside.

They skidded to a halt, however, when the trail suddenly vanished into a bright vortex of light.

"A Dimension Gate…" Adell muttered angrily. "She had back-up. Of course she had back up." Yukimaru stepped forward to inspect the Gate as Adell paced around. "They want us to follow, obviously. Jeez, it's just like what they did to Almaz. Bait us, trap us, and strike. How stupid do they think we are? Do they really think we'll fall for the same trick twice?"

"I don't believe it is the exact same trick, zam," Yukimaru said quietly, closing her eyes. "This Gate…"

"What? Does it lead to the mouth of a volcano or something?" Adell asked sarcastically.

"No… we know where it leads, zam," Yukimaru replied, looking into the light. "We've been there before. Gate AX-666."

Adell's mouth went dry. "Zenon's Castle…"

* * *

Almaz stood to his feet, dizzy for the adrenalin that was winding down in his system. He teetered to the side, and suddenly Aria was there to steady him. "Lord Almaz! Are you injured? I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner, I've no excuse…"

Almaz shook his head, waving off her worries. "I'm fine, I'm alright, I… Where's Jericho? What happened to him?"

Aria turned her head to scan for the samurai and spotted him in an instant, crumpled in a heap at the foot of the house in the middle of a dark, red puddle. "Oh no…" she whispered under her breath. She and Almaz quickly rushed over to the motionless body.

"He's…" Almaz said helplessly, at a loss for words.

"_He's pining,"_ Monty supplied.

"What?"

"_He's pining,"_ the sword explained. _"You know. For the fjords."_

All Monty got for the joke was a pained, exasperated groan. From Jericho, who cracked his eyes open to glare at the black sword. "Somebody shut that guy up…"

"You're alright!" Almaz exclaimed, then looked at Aria. "Quick, could you go find the medic?"

Aria nodded and ran towards the clinic while Almaz looked back at the injured samurai, wincing at the deep wound – he felt a bit nauseous as he realised he could probably see right through that hole in the demon's chest. Forcing the thought away, he asked "Jericho, why - ?"

"Save it," Jericho snapped, cutting the young Hero off. "I know, as a Hero, your first thought is that I sacrificed myself for you in order to protect you, out of some noble side of myself. That's not what happened."

"Then, why?" Almaz asked again.

"Because… I'm a demon of the Academy. And you're the Overlord. This is my job." Jericho turned his face away, to avoid the surprised look on the young Hero's face. "If you really want to make it up to me, you can start by taking my hand."

"W-what?" Almaz exclaimed, scooting back a little.

"Put my hand on my wound, dammit!" Jericho snapped. "I'm paralyzed from that attack, so I can't move, but I can still heal myself a bit until the medic gets here."

Almaz nodded and lifted both of Jericho's hands, settling them both over the hole in the samurai's torso. A green glow flashed underneath them, and Jericho closed his eyes, sighing as the pain began to abate. "Ugh… that's better. I think that bitch Phoenix has her damn spear chock-full of Witch Doctor innocents… though I would have thought 'Deprave' was more her style…" He cracked an eye open and locked his glare with Almaz. "If you're going to fight her, don't even take a scratch from that spear, otherwise you'll end up like this."

"_What?"_ Monty asked. _"You're saying you're… stunned?"_

"Of course he's stunned," Almaz frowned. "What does it look like he is?" Too late, he realised his mistake. "Wait, Monty, that wasn't a prompt –"

"_He 'ain't stunned!"_ Monty began gleefully, and theatrically took a breath. _"He's__ passed on! This soldier is no more! Has ceased to be! Expired and gone to meet his maker!"_

"Monty!" Almaz half-yelled, half-pleaded.

"The hell?" Jericho scowled.

"_He's a stiff! Bereft of life, he rests in peace! If she hadn't nailed him to the ground he'd be pushing up the daisies! His metabolic processes are now history! He's off the twig!"_

Aria had returned with several villagers, as well as Tileyfa, but none of them were really sure what to do during the sword's rant. Should they interrupt him? Almaz just shrugged helplessly.

"_He's kicked the bucket, shuffled off his mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible!"_

Almaz sighed and decided to let things run it's course.

"_This man…"_ Monty declared triumphantly, _"…is a _ronin!_"_

The entire crowd just stared at the sword, bemused. Finally, it was Jericho who broke the silence, voicing everyone's thoughts. "… what?"

Monty's aura flickered out, slightly sheepish. _"A ronin. You know. An ex-samurai."_

Almaz nearly cried, but instead took it like a man with a soothing facepalm, applied directly to the forehead.

"I hate your sword," Jericho coughed and groaned as he was lifted onto a stretcher. As they carried him away to the clinic, he arched his head back to shout, "And that's _not_ what a ronin is!"

"Monty…" Almaz said, scratching the back of his neck while he tried to think of a way to break it to the sword. "Don't you think you're trying too hard?"

"… _Do you really think that?"_ Monty asked, uncertainty in his voice. _"It's just… everyone thinks I'm the 'Monty Python' guy. I don't really blame them for thinking that, and I don't want to disappoint… but it's hard, staying fresh when everyone knows what's coming…"_

"I… think you should stick to sword-fighting, personally…" Almaz sighed.

"_Yeah, maybe…"_ sighed the sword dejectedly, before perking up in tone. _"Or maybe, it's time to start branching out!"_

Almaz gave up with a sigh and followed Jericho's stretcher back to the clinic.

* * *

Cinos sat in the secret library of Zenon, meditating on the mountain of knowledge within. Thanks to Tav's tip, he had finally confirmed where Zenon's true residence was, nestled deep in the darkest corner of Veldime, where the last vestiges of his curse still scarred the planet to this day.

After absorbing an atlas and several travel books back at the mansion, Cinos had pretty much guessed that this would be where a megalomaniac God of Overlords would hole himself up, but the sorcerer figured it paid to be prudent about these kind of things.

Leaving the gate open behind him in so Phoenix and Tav could follow when they returned, he began locating the castle archives. He found it dug into vaults carved into the bedrock underneath the castle, behind several dozen trap rooms, hidden tunnels and false passages, ultimately leading into crystal catacombs, stretching on for miles and curving like the Ouroboros, without beginning or end.

It was really a rather impressive set-up, and Cinos realised it might have been interesting to see how well the traps worked, but he was feeling impatient so instead he simply punched a tunnel right through them to the vaults with a blast of focused mana, revealing the stores of forbidden knowledge inside.

He had expected them to be bigger.

Still, he got to work and summoned a cyclone of books and pages around him to study. It was slow going, though, since he didn't know what to look for, but before long, Phoenix and Tav returned with just the information he needed.

Zenon didn't posses Etoile's scrap of soul. His daughter did.

That, at least, convinced Cinos of one thing. Zenon was dead. Why else would his castle be in ruins, but none of his hidden secrets were destroyed?

So what then? Could he have transferred it to his daughter during his lifetime? Could it have fled to her as he died?

Etem had said no, impossible, but there was a flicker of doubt on his face. Phoenix had collapsed on a couch in that reading room vault and feigned indifference, but flashed Cinos with a look, a question. Cinos had just shrugged, indicating they'd talk later, and told them to survey the castle. The inevitable confrontation would take place here, where they held the psychological advantage.

When he and Phoenix did talk, she didn't have much to say, just more games. She had grinned and smirked and flirted and placed absolute faith in him. Transferring souls around out of the prison of their earthly vessels and through the gates of life and death was supposed to be impossible for anyone or any_thing_ below a Life or Death Master. Not even Zenon should be able to manage it, but if it had been himself, Phoenix had said, he could have found a way.

"After all, you did it before," she reminded him. "We wouldn't be here if you didn't."

"Etem would be," Cinos said, with a touch of bitterness. "He simply walked past those barriers without looking back. But that's beside the point, Zenon isn't me."

Phoenix chuckled ruefully. "That's true, so what then? I…" Suddenly what he said clicked in her mind, and she stared at Cinos in appalled disbelief. "Wait, how could Tav have done that? Just _walked_ out?"

"His Wanderlust dictated it," he replied.

"You mean… he escaped…" Words failed her as she tried to speak the name of her prison, a dark look passing her eyes as she failed to say it. "He escaped… by just leaving? And he seriously didn't think to check up on the rest of us?"

"It was in his nature to leave us behind," Cinos said in a flatter voice than usual. "He didn't need us, so his Wanderlust lead him away. That's the core reason why he's so motivated in this quest of his, I think. It's not love for the past. It's just that love and regret has marked him, and no matter how far he runs he can't escape it. Unlike everything else, he can't just leave this behind."

Phoenix didn't have anything to say in response, and quietly watched him continue his research until the sun fell, where she smirked and left to execute stage two of the plan.

Cinos wouldn't admit that he almost missed her company. The talking of the past reminded him of those days, thousands of years ago now, when they were all united together, roaming the multiverse. The seven of them, naive and invincible.

Before it had all fallen apart with Koba's death.

Before the pact.

Before he decided to step off his path and made his own decision, two hundred years ago when he threw away his old name and took the one Phoenix gave him, a name that warped his purpose.

So as Cinos absorbed the knowledge flying around him as a spiralling pillar of light and words, he also lost himself on musings of the past, so much so that he was startled when a singing voice snapped him out of his reprieve, and he realised almost an hour had gone past.

"Fail to the conquer-ed he~ro!" sang the familiar voice, and suddenly Cinos' eyes were covered by a pair of tanned hands. "Guess who's back?"

"An idiot?" Cinos asked, deadpan.

"Cute," chuckled Phoenix, lightly slapping the back of his head and sitting down right beside him, playfully nuzzling into his side like a cat and staring at the documents and books that were whirling around the vortex they sat in the centre of. "So, what'cha doing?"

"Research," he replied, scanning the words. Phoenix nudged him in the ribs and he sighed. "I'm looking for something I'm missing. I take it your task went well?"

"Pretty much, they should be here soon," she shrugged. "I got a nasty bruise right here though, a scratch on my cheek and I bit my lip." Cinos pulled his eyes over to see her face as she pointed to her chin, which had a black, splotchy mark spreading to her neck, and looked somewhat severe. The so-called-scratch on her cheek was actually a deep gouge that had dug up her flesh from her lips to her ear, and her bottom lip looked nearly torn right through. She seemed unaffected as she fluttered her eyelids at him cheekily. "Kiss it better?" she asked in an amused voice that Cinos realised was only _half_-joking.

He decided to ignore the question and cupped her injured cheek in his palm, sending a surge of Omega Heal energies through it and stitching her back together. "I thought you were only going to attack a few in order to goad them here. How many did you take on?"

"All of them, I think," Phoenix grinned, embarrassed. "I tried to nail that Overlord, but the samurai took the bullet instead. He won't be dancing any time soon."

"That's one out of commission, at least," Cinos said. "Fewer to deal with here."

"Don't be so sure," she said, shaking her head lightly. "Seems they got back-up. Get this – a Snow Clan ninja. It turns out his little baby is from the Snow Clan."

"The Snow Clan…" he muttered, interested. "I read a few reports saying there were some survivors out for Zenon's blood even after the massacre…"

"Yeah, Aleph was saying he helped them out, since he had visited them before."

"That's it…" Cinos whispered, signalling with his hand. Half a dozen books and reports containing references to the clan floated towards him. "Nothing that happens around Etem is a coincidence. He wouldn't have just wandered into the site of Zenon's massacre for no reason. So, Zenon went there to retrieve the girl, and the rest of the clan got in the way?"

"Aleph… he said he visited once before the genocide," Phoenix said with dawning comprehension. "And there was a mother with a little girl only a few years old there, Could it have been her?"

"Almost certainly," Cinos said. Books and pages were sent flying, ejected out of the cyclone of knowledge, and the entire thing shrunk as the sorcerer began to piece things together.

"Zenon killed Etoile and the ninety-nine Overlords twenty years ago, and disappeared. Zenon destroyed the Snow Clan eighteen years ago, in secret. His daughter has the blood of the Snow Clan… and is twenty years old. His daughter holds a lingering scrap of Etoile within herself.

"His daughter has Etoile within herself. But Zenon never made a single mention of Etoile's power. His few personal reports I've found show he considered his daughter a treasure… but one to be sheltered. Not like a weapon, as one would expect for someone who knows of her kind of capabilities.

"Why not? He had to be aware of it; her power was one to shake the stars. But he never used it, never exercised it."

Cinos looked Phoenix in the eyes. "What does this suggest?"

"He didn't know," Phoenix said. "That's the only explanation. There's a trace of Etoile's power, but only in that throne room. Twenty years of her presence inside him should have left a greater impression on this castle."

"Exactly," Cinos nodded. "Zenon wasn't shy about using his power, the Clover Curse he placed on Veldime proved it. He didn't know about Etoile. He didn't kill her."

"Then who did?" she asked. "And how did her soul get to the girl?"

Cinos looked at her through the corner of his eyes. "… Do you remember when I changed my name?"

"Eh? I just thought my nickname stuck," Phoenix blinked and grinned. "So you actually consider it your name, huh? I'm flattered."

"You're welcome," Cinos replied absently, absorbed in his realisation. "But think of this – I changed my name to escape my purpose. What if Zenon too wanted to escape his? And what if someone wanted to _steal_ his place? Ninety-nine Overlords, slain when Zenon killed Etoile. What there was a hundredth, who survived? Who held a grudge, and when Zenon tried to leave his throne of God of Overlords, was instead usurped?"

"Garcon!" Phoenix called over an imaginary waiter. "One order of _'get-to-the-freaking-point'_ for my friend here! To go!"

Cinos turned and glared. "I still need more information, to make it utterly conclusive, but if my hypothesis is correct, it would mean Zenon, the demon who cursed this world, did not kill Etoile," He opened his hand and a painting flew into it, which he raised to show Phoenix. A painting of Rozalin. "His daughter killed her."

"How…" Phoenix's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "I mean, how is that even possible? She was a baby then!"

"No. She wasn't even born yet," Cinos clarified. "But she was still in the perfect position to kill Etoile, in a previous life as the true Zenon, God of Overlords."

Phoenix's eyes widened in shock. "So… wait, the girl _is_ Zenon? And her dad is some kind of… Fake Zenon?"

"Yes, it explains a lot, doesn't it?" Cinos said, nodding to himself.

"I… yes, but… ugh… It's so stupidly circuitous and complicated!" Phoenix whined, clutching her temples. "I'd better get to kill something soon…"

"Does a 'god' sound good to you?" he asked.

"Nah, that's Tav's fight," Phoenix said, growing serious. "Listen to me, Cinos. When that girl and her backup walk through that door, that Overlord kid is going to be with them. He's already humiliated me once, but right now he's a long way from home. I intend to make sure he never gets there."

"Phoenix… that's not a good idea," Cinos said. Before she could exclaim in outrage, he twitched the corner of his mouth into a miniscule grin. "It's just that I promised his Princess that I'd make him suffer. It was really more of an idle, 'because I can' kind of threat, but… you know how I am with promises."

Phoenix burst out laughing and leaned into him, gripping his stained robes to steady herself. "Alright, I'll see what I can do…" she whispered into his ear. "But only because it's _you_, Cinos."

* * *

A glow of light surrounded Almaz, and the aches and scrapes he suffered fighting faded away. Sighing in relief, he thanked Tileyfa and asked about Jericho.

She nodded, a sad expression on her face. "He'll live, but he can't fight for a while. The paralysis was very pervasive and he's missing nearly his entire right lung. He asked me to tell you not to wait up for him. That if you have to fight, not to worry about his condition."

Almaz thanked her and she bowed, leaving to return to the clinic. The young Overlord Hero turned to check on the rest of his friends, all sitting around the table in the house's large kitchen.

"This woman, Phoenix. What's wrong with her?" Adell muttered. "She's completely crazy. She nearly killed Tink and blew up the village just because she had a hunch Zenon would come, and on the same day shows up again and..." he banged his fist on the table, furious.

"And she broke one of our windows up on the roof," Adell's mom said, setting some tea out on the table. She glanced around at the dark, _'not-funny'_ glares she received from around the room. "What? We're going to have to fix that, you know."

"Yes, it's a good point," Almaz insisted, sweating nervously. "Phoenix broke that window. I think we should take note of that.

"_I agree. That was a true and accurate account of what occurred_," Monty said from Almaz's back, sensing the death vibes aimed at his swordsman from Adell's mom. Screw his mana levels, that woman was the stuff of _nightmares_.

Almaz nodded quickly, glad his sword was backing him up. "She was going to break the other one, but I stopped her," he added helpfully.

"Right, like how you made a _local_ phone call yesterday," Adell's mother smirked humourlessly.

'_She knows!'_ Almaz screamed internally. "I'll pay you back…" he apologised lamely.

"Anyway!" Adell said loudly, drawing attention back to the matter at hand, "We know where they're holed up. We've been there before, but… it's not somewhere any of us would want to return."

Almaz thought of the portal to the Human World, where he had died in Sapphire's arms, and of the Dean's Office back in Evil Academy, where they had faced Aurum and he had been crowned Overlord. "Yeah… I know the feeling…"

"Without Jericho, we're a man down," Aria sighed. "That whole sneak attack wasn't just to lure us in it, it was to cut down our numbers and draw the actual target out into the open."

"A trap. Just like the one they set for me," Almaz said.

"Why there, of all places?" Rozalin said angrily, her harsh tone betrayed by a waver in her voice.

"_Psychological warfare,_" Monty's voice answered. "_A classic. Fake a retreat and lure you into a false sense of security. And as a plus, whatever bad memories of the place you have really gives morale a kick between the legs._"

"Makes sense," Aria scowled. "Last trap they set, we underestimated their strength, this time they're trying to mess with our heads."

"And a good job they've done too, zam," sighed Yukimaru. "Either we return to Zenon's castle and walk right into a trap before we even reach it, or we wait here for them to attack again, possibly putting the entire village at risk, zam..."

"We're going to have to face them..." Almaz nodded and stood up, an idea quickly turning into a plan in his mind. "But on our terms, not theirs. This time, we're going to disable the trap before they can pull it and put an end to their chaos, before they can hurt anyone else." Everyone's eyes turned to him, and he crossed his arms confidently, grinning. "And I know exactly how to do it."

* * *

_Chapter 17 -end- _

* * *

Varanotes: The bad guys know who Rozalin is. All bets are off.

But looks like Almaz has a plan.

Thanks to NightmareSyndrom, General Generic, The Ansem Man, Vehrec, Hefner J, Faairyfairy, Gloom-shroom and Ichigo -usagi Wizu for your reviews, both for chapters 15 and 16.

Now, hit that review button and get ready - the counter-attack has begun.

-Varanus


	18. The Firestorm

**Fail to the King!**

* * *

_Chapter 18 – The Firestorm_

* * *

Tav hadn't even noticed Phoenix leaving the castle earlier, as he was too busy straining himself to try and detect some trace of Etoile's mana. In the throne room he felt a strong sense of it, getting very excited about it until Cinos had pointed out that the mana was layered thick, like dust or paint, but it was only overlaid over the other traces of mana as the top layer, without actually being ingrained in the room.

There had only been a single surge of power that obliterated all others, a far cry from what you'd expect from the throne room of Zenon.

Afterwards, he had scoured the castle, trying to search for a clue he might have missed. He knew Cinos and Phoenix had already done a sweep and said nothing came up, but he pressed on regardless. Even if he was lacking in much ability to detect mana, he believed he could do something the others couldn't. He was the one who knew Etoile the best, who knew what her heart was like.

So far his search was fruitless. There wasn't a trace of her anywhere.

Tav leaned against the wall of the grand entrance hall, deep in thought. So, it _was_ that girl all along? Then… could Etoile's soul somehow have escaped Zenon's clutches? And later returned to defeat him? And why was it in his daughter? Could they somehow reverse the transfer, or was it that the girl was actually Etoile herself?

He had been so adamant, believing Etoile's fractured soul could not pass on while Zenon lived – but if Zenon was dead all this time, did it mean her soul had simply healed? Could she be... alive?

He didn't know what was true anymore.

"_... and then it was really just a simple matter of jumping over the border and trading in the debased coin for twice its value," Etoile laughed, recounting her latest exploit to Tav. "The demons were so impressed with them, they never knew a human couple could make such a shrewd deal. In a generation, they're going to have their namesake Rosenqueen branches all across the universe, and like they said, it's all thanks to me."_

"_Ha. I bet they were appreciative, huh?" Tav chuckled._

"_Yeah, they were pretty much on their knees," the woman giggled, twirling a lock of her silky brown hair between her fingers. "They're going to name their newborn daughter after me and everything!"_

_Tav frowned. "Huh? Just a kid? Not even a monument?"_

"_Just...!" Etoile stared at her lover, not quite believing her own ears. "Oh come on, Tav! Those parents are going to be so filthy rich! That girl is going to be their world, and every toy and gift they give her will also be a tribute to me! Besides, they don't call childbirth a miracle for nothing..." She paused, then smiled giddily. "Hee hee... Etoile Rosenqueen. A beautiful name for a human, even if I do say so myself."_

"_A miracle, huh?" Tav mused, staring into the sunset._

"_Yeah!" the dark-haired woman grinned, nodding enthusiastically. "That kid is going to be totally unique, and she's carrying on my name. That's something special!"_

_Tav plucked a blade of grass from the ground. "I don't get it," he admitted, twirling the grass in his tattooed fingers. "I mean, look at this, it's just a bit of grass. Sure it's unique, sure, you can call it Etoile if you'd like..." He opened his palm and the blade of grass floated away in the wind. "... but in the end, can you really tell the difference between it and the rest of the grass in the meadow?"_

_Etoile glared at him. "What is your problem? Why do you have to suck away at my moment?"_

"_I just don't get why this is such a big deal," Tav shrugged. "Maybe if they called their chain of stores 'Etoile', but a human? She won't even be able to make a scratch on the cosmos before she disappears completely."_

"_Ugh, why are you always like that?" she shouted. "You can never see the trees for the forest! You just brush off small details, as if they're not important!"_

"_I'm the Encompasser," Tav said dismissively._

"_That's a job description! Don't you dare use it as an excuse for your egomania!" Etoile hissed. "I mean, seriously, you don't even consider anything important?"_

"_I'm the Encompasser," he repeated. "I see the bigger picture, the whole of it. All those little details, I'll tell you right now, none of it matters to the rest of the world, so nothing like that matters to me."_

_Etoile gave him a cold look. "You say that, but if I vanished tomorrow, you'd be upset."_

"_Hmm... you've vanished before..." Tav yawned, rolling onto his side. _

_Etoile glared at him. "If I vanished completely, you'd regret those words. You would."_

"_The word 'if' really doesn't mean much in this world..." the brawler mumbled absently, slipping off to sleep on the grass._

"_Don't go to sleep...!" Etoile said, half-angry, half-pleading. "You'll regret it!" _

_He didn't listen._

_Tav woke up the next day to an empty space beside him. He sighed, exasperated by her attitude. But it didn't matter. She'd be back, probably even the next day. So, he went back to sleep. He continued this for ten years, through sun, storms and sleet, until one morning he finally realised she wasn't going to return._

_So, he left, figuring they'd cross paths eventually. _

_The next time he saw her, she was dead and in Zenon's hands._

Tav breathed sharply, recoiling from his memories. His hands were shaking slightly, and he forced them to be still. He had already replayed that memory nearly every day for twenty years, but now, he was so close to finding her again... _'If you are dying, Etoile, I promise to put you to rest. If you are... impossibly alive, then... I'll apologise...'_

He breathed deeply again to clear his head. Now was not the time for regrets.

Phoenix sauntered past him, snapping him from his thoughts. "You ready?" she asked with a smirk.

"What?" he frowned. "Yes, why?"

"Because they'll be here soon," she said, drawing amusement from the dawning look of surprise on his face. "I just ran an ambush and spooked them. They're smart enough to know I'll come back if they don't do something."

Tav stared at her. "... What. The. Hell. You just randomly attacked them?"

"Ha, you have so little faith," Phoenix sighed, walking past him. "It's all part of the plan. Pretty soon Zenon will come marching up to the doorstep so you can finally put things to rest. Till then, try to look sharp, ok?" She waved without looking behind her and left the hall before he could ask what she meant.

He frowned, confused but knowing he wouldn't get a straight answer even if he did confront the two of them. This was exactly why he hadn't agreed to work with Cinos in the first place, the man wouldn't share any of the information he found while investigating, withholding it until he had pieced together all the facts. Tav clenched his fists in irritation. Now he was being locked out of his own quest?

He shook the thoughts out of his head, forcing himself to calm down. Cinos just liked to be thorough, plus they had gotten closer to the truth in one day of working together than he had gotten in twenty years. If it meant avenging Etoile, there wasn't a problem.

Cinos could handle the investigations, but Tav would take care of the conclusion.

Nodding to himself, he walked out of the hall, through the massive double doors leading outside to the crystalline valley. Sitting down at the gateway, he stared into the misty distance and…

'_Wait,'_ he thought, realising something off. _'Was it this misty when we arrived?'_

He breathed in deeply and caught a faint wisp of ozone – this mist was artificial. On guard, he stood up and considered warning the others when he saw a figure step out of the haze. It was a demon woman with long, black hair and a faintly familiar ninja's gi. Looking at his face, the ninja nodded to herself and smiled at him.

"Master Aleph, it has been quite some time," she said, bowing. "Surely you remember me, your once disciple?"

Tav stared at her, surprised. She was one of the last people he would have expected to meet here, but perhaps she was someone he should've. "Yukimaru…"

* * *

Phoenix hummed an idle tune to herself as she made her way to the throne room, until an odd feeling made her pause. It was… a ripple of mana. A very quiet one, which if it hadn't been so nearby she probably wouldn't have even noticed. It had kind of felt like a portal, but Cinos would have been able to tell them if the dimension gate had been used, so what –

The world span for a second. When she caught hold of her senses, she found a blade was at her throat and spears, stabbing out of the ground at an angle, were poking her in her stomach, just shy of impaling her and effectively pinning her to the wall.

"Surprised?" Almaz asked, a grin poking at the corner of his face. Aria stood behind him, leering victoriously at her. Phoenix could only stare in shock and disbelief, at a loss for whatever the _hell_ just happened.

"_I think that's a 'yes'!_" Monty said, bursting out laughing. The Valkyrie turned her attention to the sword, staring at it, then after a moment she began to join in with the mad laughter.

* * *

Cinos felt a faint ripple of a gate opening somewhere, but didn't look up from his research. He had moved the last dregs of knowledge and intel from the vaults up into the throne room, to be better prepared for the battle once they arrived.

More accurately, it was the throne plateau, a grand hall at the very top of the castle, its only roof being the black and twisted sky above, the throne itself sitting atop a squat ziggurat so that Zenon could sit and observe the entirety of his cursed kingdom.

Cinos had been suitably impressed, and took a moment to make a note of the architecture of the plateau before getting back to research. It was good foresight to have moved there, because that ripple meant that they had finally arrived. "They're here…" he muttered absently, too engrossed in the final tome in the library to act upon his realisation.

"Indeed, we are," said a woman's voice, accompanied by the click of a pistol.

He blinked, snapping out of his trance and looking up to see the very woman he had been investigating, standing across the hall with a gun aimed for his head. He nodded to acknowledge her. "Ah, Miss Rozalin de Zenon, the lady of the day. You almost startled me." He shut the book he was reading and dropped it, the rest of the vortex cutting out and falling along with it. Cinos didn't need them anymore – the final piece of the puzzle had come to him directly.

"I had wondered…" she said, her eyes boring into him. "I had seen Tav once before, and had the misfortune of meeting Phoenix twice, but they had said there was one more. So, I take it you're the one pulling the strings?"

"Hardly," Cinos shrugged. "I came up with the general plan, yes, but if you have a grievance with Phoenix's actions, she's the one you should take it up with. Still, I'm impressed. Judging by your subtle arrival, would I be right in saying your group has also simultaneously ambushed Phoenix and Tav? How did you do it without being detected by me earlier?"

"You picked this spot for a psychological advantage, but you made a grave mistake," Rozalin informed him. "We've been here before. This is my father's castle, after all. We confronted him here, in this very room, three years ago. Our Dimension Guide back at the village is quite aware of the layout of this mansion and we were free to teleport to any room we wanted. That considered, an ambush was a simple affair."

Cinos chuckled slightly and shook his head, his hand lightly tapping his forehead in admonishment. "I see, that's quite clever of you. I'll remember it next time."

"It was actually Almaz who had the idea," Rozalin said.

"Was it?" Cinos asked, sounding faintly amused. He tapped his chin thoughtfully, while still keeping the bored expression on his face. "Hmm, I'm actually impressed. He continues to surprise me. Clearly the faith I once held in him was not in vain…"

"What are you talking about?" Rozalin demanded. "You make it sound as if you see him as a friend. Need I remind you that you tried to kill him?"

"The invasion was Phoenix's plan, not mine. He twisted my arm and proved to be an obstacle," he said, shrugging nonchalantly. "He's an interesting person, regardless. He came out of nowhere, and through his earnest nature and sheer force of personality, even if he doesn't realise it, he saved his Netherworld. I think I could have even grown to like him… if not for the end of his tale, when he bitterly disappointed me."

"Disappointed you…?" Rozalin frowned, worried for Almaz. "What sort of plans do you have for him?"

Cinos chuckled mirthlessly. "Look at you, concerned for his wellbeing. This is that charisma of his working, I'm sure. After all, you barely know the boy, but consider him a friend. Are you that desperate for companionship? Are you making up for a lost lifetime of loneliness? I wouldn't blame you – beings of power are so often beings of solitude, aren't we… Zenon?"

Rozalin glared at him, eyes giving away nothing, and Cinos nodded, half to himself. "Good poker face. To tell you the truth, it's only a theory of mine, but considering the research I've done, it seems the most plausible," he admitted. "After all, I have read every account there is of your father, and he just does not fit the bill of 'Zenon'. You, however…"

He reached his hand out to Rozalin and to her shock, her seal materialised in the air before her. Focusing, she drew it back, hiding it from the sorcerer. "You shall _not_ tamper with things that are not yours," she snarled.

"Do I detect a hint of godly wrath?" asked Cinos, a sarcastic eyebrow raised. "Or perhaps it was just a woman's scorn. I've been around Phoenix so long I find it hard to tell the difference. Well, if it wasn't Zenon's wrath –" Hermetic runes began to glow in mid-air around his hands as he shifted into a stance. His face grew grim and serious, dissecting her with his tired eyes. "– then how should I go about drawing it out?"

"How about dropping dead?" yelled a voice. Cinos looked up just in time to see Adell crash down towards him, wreathed in crimson flames.

* * *

"I can't believe a moron like you could pull something like this off!" Phoenix managed to say between howls of laughter.

Without even pausing in her outburst, her armoured hand suddenly darted up and knocked Monty's edge from her throat and she dived forward, crashing down on and shattering the spears that had pinned her to the wall with a burst of fire. More spears shot up from where they came from, and Phoenix winced as she felt a few slice into her, just barely avoiding serious damage. Her own burning spear practically leapt into her hands and she twisted around, trying to dance out of crossfire of spears shooting up from the ground and finding a sword rushing for her instead.

She raised her spear and blocked Almaz's strike, but the motion made her pause and more of the kunoichi's own spears shot from the floor and ceiling around her like a thorny cage. Almaz's sword dived forward, ready for another attack, and Phoenix felt another surge of mana, this time from the throne room.

"Stop," she said, raising her hands. Almaz paused, confused, but Aria took the chance to shoot even more spears from the ground around Phoenix, trapping her in a maze of blades. "Yeesh, don't you get it? I give," the Valkyrie said, glaring at Aria.

"What are you -?" Almaz frowned, raising Monty into a defensive position.

"I surrender," Phoenix shrugged, glancing off to the side. "I know when I'm fighting a losing battle. You guys win."

"Like we're going to believe that!" Aria shot.

Phoenix blinked, seemingly offended. "Aren't Heroes supposed to spare the villain when they surrender? See, I'll even get rid of my spear." She whipped up her spear and hurled it with all her strength down the corridor. It flew, spinning swiftly away, burning through the ceiling like it was butter and flying higher into the castle. Turning her face back to Almaz, she winked with a sultry look. "Go ahead and take me. I'm _entirely_ at your mercy. Just promise me you'll be gentle, ok?"

"What are you playing at?" Almaz frowned. Phoenix just smiled sweetly and fluttered her eyelids innocently.

* * *

"Soaring Fire!"

Cinos' eyes narrowed as he saw Adell soaring down for him. In an instant, he weighed his options. If he raised a shield, the wave of fire would still hit him. A blast of magic would knock him away, but the speed and power the boy was crashing down with would punch right through anything that would be fast enough to intercept him. Cinos needed something that would block both the physical force and the flames.

Fortunately, such an option was at hand.

He raised his hand just as a red, spinning blur sliced through thick stone floor of the throne plateau and flew right towards him. Snatching it out of the air, he raised it above him in a guard, layering several barriers for good measure between himself and the boy.

The whole motion took a fraction of a second and Adell found his Soaring Fire smashing right through Cinos' hasty shield spells and connecting – right with the haft of Phoenix's spear. Adell's eyes widened in surprise as he tried to figure out how the sorcerer had blocked, and Phoenix's words from before echoed in his head.

"_Fire? Against me?"_

Adell back-flipped off his temporary perch on the spear haft, just as Cinos shoved it away. The sorcerer whipped the spear around for a slice which Adell narrowly dodged, then brought the spear forward in a series of quick stabs, stepping backwards to prevent the hunter from dodging right into his guard.

Adell narrowed his eyes and kept dodging and sidestepping the lunges of the spear, realising something. "You're pretty good," he said, "But you're nothing compared to Phoenix. You're too stiff and uncomfortable using a spear!" Charging forward, Adell managed to knock the spear aside as it went for a stab. "You're not a warrior at all, are you?"

His fist shot forward like a bullet towards Cinos' gut, when the sorcerer let go of Phoenix's spear with one hand. "You're right. I'm a scholar…" Cinos admitted as Adell's fist pounded against a barrier. Taking a step forward to ground his stance, Adell brought his other fist around with a yell and shattered the barrier with a punch as fast as lightning - which met only air as Cinos blinked out of existence, reappearing several meters way. "But above all else, boy," Cinos said, raising a hand with a glowing circle of runes hovering before it, "I am a _sorcerer. Omega Wind._"

"Adell, watch out!" screamed Rozalin.

An ethereal dragon materialised in a flash above him, hissing as the world became an emerald haze. Green cyclones and lightning shot up around Adell, knocking into him like a battering ram and sending him flying. He gritted his teeth and focused past the disorienting spinning and the blows of the wind coming at him from all directions, focusing on landing on the ground feet-first (rather than on his head, which would just be adding insult to injury).

By some miracle, he succeeded, and was rewarded by another, much more pleasant, green glow of mana. Looking to the side he saw Rozalin, her hands extended after her casting of a Giga Heal.

"Heh. And you said learning any more magic was a waste of time after we finished up three years ago," Adell smirked, relieved.

"Yes, but that was before you got a concussion after Axel visited a month later," Rozalin replied with a roll of her eyes.

"That was completely his fault!" he hissed.

"It was your idea to introduce the coconuts," Rozalin pointed out, surrounding him with another glow of refreshing healing energies. "What does the fight-capacity of a migrating sparrow even matter, anyway?"

"Okay, let's focus on the fight and get back to this _never_," Adell grunted, adamant.

"Fine then. I must say though, that sneak attack before was rather out-of-character for you," Rozalin said.

Adell shrugged. "I figured it'd be payback for the one they gave Tink."

"You are all absurd, I hope you know that," a deadpan Cinos said as he stepped forward, still standing atop the podium where Zenon's false throne stood. Weighing Phoenix's spear in his hand, he shook his head. "I appreciate the thought," he said to himself, "but the day I see this spear as my weapon will be a dark day indeed." He raised it above his head and hurled it like a javelin, where it soared over Adell and Rozalin's heads and back out of the hall.

"Now, clearly personal assaults wouldn't be effective in drawing your true nature out, Zenon…" he announced, a ripple of mana lifting him from the ground to levitate high above them. Pentagram-inscribed magic circles glowed at his fingertips as a harsh breeze began to pick up around the room. "But I think I can see the best course of action. That young man is quite protective of you, but tell me, how far would you go to protect _him?_"

"Do your worst," Adell snarled, dropping into an aggressive stance. "Dying isn't my style."

* * *

Once Phoenix's arms were safely tied behind her back with Monty's bandages, Almaz and Aria were at a loss for what to do.

"Not that I'm glad to avoid a fight, but this would have been a whole lot easier if you hadn't surrendered," Almaz sighed to himself as they made their way down the expansive hallway. The castle was a huge pillar reaching up to the sky and as much as he hated to admit it, he was pretty disorientated by the scale of it. Evil Academy was a vast, dark labyrinth of classrooms and hallways, but this castle was obviously a testament to an even greater ego than anyone in his Netherworld .

"The irony stings, doesn't it?" Phoenix smirked, snapping him out of his thoughts. Turning her eye to the kunoichi trailing behind her, she smirked. "By the way, neat trick with the spears shooting from the ground. What's that technique called?"

Aria frowned at the attention and shrugged. "What?" she asked, annoyed. "It doesn't have a name."

"Hey, that's no good!" Phoenix pouted. "Special techniques need to have names. Especially spear techniques, they need a name that practically _sings_. Hmm…" The Valkyrie began to ponder the question loudly. "It's like a death-trap, so 'Danger' or 'Sheer', or… 'Hazard'! King of Hazards…? Hmm... Queen?"

"_Dukes of Hazard?_" Monty suggested hopefully.

Phoenix grunted. "No, that's stupid…"

"Something of Hazards, at any rate," Almaz said idly.

Phoenix nodded in agreement. "Definitely. For a swordsman, you've got good taste."

"Thanks!" he beamed at the compliment.

"Lord Almaz!" hissed Aria.

"What?" he asked, confused for a moment. "Oh, right, she's an enemy, gotcha."

"Oh, you guys are so stiff," laughed Phoenix. Cocking her head to the side, she looked at Almaz. "Especially you. Just drop the hero act and relax, you're an Overlord now. Honestly, you were funnier back at the academy. I remember screwing with you, moving you across campus while you were asleep and tipping off your location to a Baciel…"

"That was you!" Almaz shouted, indignant. "I was running for my life for three hours! In my underwear! What did you do to my pants?"

Phoenix shrugged. "Sold them to a prinny for 300 Hl."

"Those were good pants!" whined Almaz. "They were worth three time that much, at least!"

"Really?" she blinked. "Damn, I got fleeced."

"_Sounds like they scammed the pants right off you,_" Monty chuckled, feeling vaguely left out, and more than a little worried about his wielder's credentials.

"I can't believe this…" Almaz sighed, shaking his head. He paused, rewinding the conversation in his head. "Wait… you were spying on me?"

"Me? Nope, got bored a week after you showed up and went to go explore the Netherworld," Phoenix shrugged. "Cinos, however, he's been keeping an eye on the Academy for over two hundred years."

"Two hundred years… that was when Lord Mao's father died… do you have anything to do with that?" Aria demanded accusingly. "Have you been trying to take the throne of Overlord?"

Phoenix stared at Aria like she had grown a second head, and burst out laughing. "Y-you think... we want to r-rule? Ahahaha!" She doubled over, her shrieking laughter filling the halls. "Do you listen to yourself? I think I might seriously die here, right now, from laughter!"

"It might be convenient if you did..." hissed Aria. "That way we won't have to worry about what kind of damage you'll do to the Academy."

Almaz suddenly had a sinking feeling. Aria was usually sharp and attentive in dangerous situations. Transmigrating into a kunoichi seemed to have amplified that nature, but from his few times speaking to her before he became Overlord, he could tell she wasn't the type to let grudges interfere with battles. When Almaz had first shown up, she had been forced to sit behind him by Mao, since she was one of the few demons who wouldn't try to trip him up in the middle of a battle

But right now, Phoenix was aggravating her, trying to get a reaction from the kunoichi. Almaz had never realised how defensive Aria was about the Academy, but the Valkyrie had picked up on it right away and was taunting her, trying to get a reaction...

... No. Trying to make them slip up and drop their guard.

"Aria, she's up to something..." Almaz warned his vassal. She glanced over at him, confused but alert once more.

Phoenix sighed, calming down but remaining doubled over, still giggling slightly. "Aha, you're pretty sharp."

Only in hindsight did Almaz realise what she did next. Her spear suddenly returned to her, shooting back from the direction it was thrown. Phoenix, still doubled over, raised her hands as high as her restraints would allow and the spear neatly sliced though them, freeing her. Quick as a flash, she snatched her flying spear from mid-air and jumped away from the two, flourishing her weapon alongside a storm of illusionary fire spears.

Almaz snapped out of his surprise and reached for Monty, a second too late. There was a glint in the Valkyrie's eye and she brought the spear crashing down, the fire spears swelling to critical mass as they prepared to explode. Time seemed to grind down to a halt in the face of it.

Someone grabbed his collar and lifted him off the ground. Almaz saw Aria from the corner of his eye, a determined expression on her face as she hurled him towards the windows lining the tall hallway.

Leaving her vulnerable, right as Phoenix's attack struck the marble floors and exploded. Almaz caught a glimpse of his vassal, still staring at him with a strange expression as the flames swelled up, as if in slow motion. It was if he was caught in an instantaneous attack, unable to move or act as he watched the pillar of flame swallow up Aria excruciatingly slowly, like a blinding orange tidal wave.

Time caught up on him and the roar of the explosion shook him as he flew across the room and crashed right through one of the tall panelled windows, the wall of fire following close behind him, diving for him like a nightmarish bird of prey.

* * *

Yukimaru and Tav sat on the steps of the mansion, with the young kunoichi filling her old master in about her clan's avengement.

"Heh… so the Snow Clan is free, huh?" Tav smiled, before frowning, a shadow falling across his face. "Then if Zenon is dead… what does that mean for…"

"Master Aleph..." Yukimaru said, breaking his line of thought. "Why did you stay in our village? You showed such kindness that day, it inspired us to walk the path of justice, zam."

"I was... just doing whatever it took to satisfy the demands of my soul..." he replied, hanging his head. "Several years before Zenon attacked, I had almost settled down in your village. If I had, I could have saved... all of you."

"You saved me," she reminded him. "You saved my brother, and you made us strong in a world where we would otherwise have quickly died. And tonight, if you simply stop this destruction, you can save another."

"What do you mean?" he asked, frowning.

"Miss Rozalin is in danger. You are hunting her, correct? To draw out her father? The truth is, Zenon attacked our village in order to abduct her as a baby, zam. She is his daughter, but not by blood. Her blood is that of the Snow Clan, zam."

"Of course..." Tav muttered under his breath after a short, stunned silence. "Zenon, he must... he must have failed to kill Etoile... and she... she escaped…" He thought back to Snow Melody, of better times, and saw a baby girl who he had been drawn too… a girl he thought dead, but was actually… imprisoned? "No," Tav breathed in horror. "I've been wrong this whole time..."

There was a shudder of an explosion high above in the castle, and they both looked up to see a plume of fire shoot out of a row of windows near the top of the castle. After the fires faded, there was a howl of a wolf somewhere even higher, no doubt on top of the plateau itself.

"You didn't come alone, did you?" Tav sighed. "But with the way we've been acting, I don't blame you..."

"Master Aleph... now is the time to choose, zam," Yukimaru said gravely. "You carry the guilt of the people you have lost so heavily on your shoulders... I do not want to see you be weighed down even further by the deaths of my friends too, zam. I'm going on ahead to help them, and I pray you will make the correct choice."

She turned to leap, but an immovable hand clapped down on her shoulder. "Wait." Yukimaru turned to look the brawler in his blank white eyes and her sinking heart lifted to see him nod assuredly. "We'll go together," he said.

"Yes Master, zam!" Yukimaru beamed.

* * *

A wolf howled into the chilled night, and Adell immediately cursed taunting Cinos to do his worst as he stared into the eyes of a massive white wolf that towered above him like a frozen mountain. It snarled and a frigid wave of air dropped the temperature of the air around them.

"Nice puppy..." Adell smirked despite the icy dread the beast seemed to bleed into the air. He pushed it aside, focusing on his inner fire coursing though his veins. "Does it sit? Down boy..."

The wolf pounced, dragging behind it a storm of razor sharp shards of ice. Fire burst around Adell as he took a step back, before charging right at the gigantic wolf with a fist wreathed in flames. "I said _down!_" His fist connected with the beast's nose, and there was a crunching noise like snow being trampled underfoot as its snout crumpled under the blow. It yelped like a high-pitched foghorn and leapt back atop the ziggurat, staring back down at Adell warily. The hunter grinned and stared past it, into Cinos' eyes. "That the best you got?"

Cinos gave him a bored look and twitched his head slightly to the side. Adell twisted in that direction just in time to see another gigantic wolf leap for him. He dived forward himself, dropping into a coiled handstand before pushing off the ground, shooting up like a rocket into the beast's frozen jaw. "I'll show you –" he yelled as his foot connected, "–who the _King of Beasts_ is!" Knocking both of them high into the air with his own mana, he landed a dozen bone crushing kicks before he twisted and grabbed it's paw, swinging it around and sending it flying like a meteor back towards Cinos. Mana ignited around him and he dove for the sorcerer himself, wrapped in the flames of a Soaring Fire.

The magic circle at Cinos' palm turned red. "Omega Fire," he intoned, and the air around him burst into hellfire as a demon of ash and fire was summoned into existence. With a mangled, charred claw it reached up and plucked the giant ice wolf from mid-air, dropping it to the side like a ragdoll as its other arm lunged forward to snatch Adell.

"I don't think so!" the hunter snarled, rearing back his leg and pounding the demon with an earthshaking blow. The massive claw buckled under Adell as his flying kick hit dead centre of the palm. Adell's blood-red fire swelled up and devoured the giant demon's entire arm of ash and orange flames, scattering the entire limb to the wind. The titan roared in pain, buckling over.

"Ha! Not so tough, are you?" Adell taunted, falling back to ground. His grin was wiped off his face when he realised the titan wasn't buckling over in pain – it was bringing its head crashing down for the world's largest headbutt. "Oh cra –!"

A mountain of ash and mana crashed into him, crushing him into the stone of the plateau. Groaning, he blinked stars out of his vision as the pressure of the demon's forehead was lifted, leaving him covered in soot in a shallow crater. Looking up, he saw the fire titan raise its foot to crush him under its heel. He swore, pulling himself to his feet, and with no time to dodge, he reared his fist for an uppercut –

Just as a booming _dakka dakka dakka_ sung in the air and the monster's head was ripped into shreds.

Rozalin stepped over Adell protectively, her gun morphed into her massive Gatling gun, Rose Thorn, pouring lead without mercy into the titan. The towering demon shuddered, it's ash trying to reconstruct it's head, but nothing could stop it from being obliterated under her hailstorm of bullets.

A howl on both sides alerted them to the approach of the two Omega Ice wolves, both massive hounds charging in on either side of the ziggurat to catch them in a pincer blizzard. Rozalin dropped to one knee and plunged her hand into the stone floor, which was glowing with her own magenta mana. Rising, she hoisted up a _second_ Rose Thorn and caught both wolves dead in her sights.

"Know your place," she snarled, pulling the triggers.

_Dakka dakka dakka dakka dakka dakka Dakoom!_

The wolves shattered into chunks of ice and a wave of haze and ozone. They never stood a chance.

Adell realised his mouth was hanging open, and after a few moments of useless flapping managed to use it for something marginally useful. "Are you _dual-wielding_ Gatling guns?" he exclaimed.

"Yes, now focus!" Rozalin snapped, trying to stare though the thick frozen haze up at Cinos. "Something's wrong. He's not using warp-space."

Adell frowned. "What? So?"

"Those spells... they're designed to summon the spirits of the elements, but warp-space is the only dimension that kind of power can be manifested in," Rozalin explained hurriedly. "My books spoke of the subject – when the fabric of existence was threatened by a show of power, mana naturally draws all participants into an alternate dimension. But this demon, he's _bypassing_ it, and what's more his spells are both simultaneous and last far longer than one would expect... but they're not summons, he didn't perform any rituals."

"Uh…" Adell scratched his head. "What's warp-space?"

"The illusionary realm!" she hissed, exasperated. "And that doesn't matter! My books told me that mana is the fundamental element of existence! But for him to break free of the locks _reality itself_ imposes on the world..."

"Shall I fill you in?" Cinos' voice called. A gale swept up the haze, to reveal the emerald Omega Wind dragon hovering protectively behind the sorcerer. Another colossal Ice wolf crouched beside it, ready to pounce, and off to the other side leaning over the ziggurat rose the ash demon of Omega Fire.

"That's alright," Adell replied, picking out his targets. "I'm more interested in kicking your ass."

"Are you sure?" Cinos asked, presumably a rhetorical question as he continued speaking, his guardian beasts ready to strike at any movement. "It's really quite simple, nothing as crude as 'breaking' a lock. It's true, there are locks in place, but those are not barriers to me. It is simply what I am. You see, while Phoenix acts as a vessel for unavenged Phantoms so they can find retribution in a new form of life, and Tav can step into any realm he encompasses, I simply act as the key."

"The key?" Rozalin scowled. "To what?

"To everything, Miss Rozalin," Cinos replied. "I am the key to every lock, every door, every gate... and every seal."

The threat wasn't lost on them, and Rozalin felt another dark tug at her heart as a foreign power tried to pull her seal into the open. She gasped in surprise, trying to fight it. Adell yelled and began to run up to stop Cinos, but the emerald dragon bellowed, blowing him back and away from the sorcerer. Rozalin fell to one knee in exhaustion. The struggle against Cinos' influence was weakening her, making the dark influence of Zenon stir, enticing it to awaken. Her breath began to quicken as she started to panic, feeling that familiar, burning darkness rise inside her heart.

"_I am a being of solitude..._" she whispered like a mantra, a black aura surrounding her. The Rose Thorns burst into sparks of light, some of which dematerialized back into her Noble Rose. "_I am a being of solitude... _no longer!" she cried, raising her pistol and taking aim. "I already posses all that I desire! I will _not_ let the gates open once again!"

"You have no choice," Cinos said, his voice a whisper in her soul.

"Enough, Cinos," a voice called. The only sign on the sorcerer's face that betrayed his shock was a quick blink, and he turned his head along with Adell and Rozalin to see Tav emerge onto the throne plateau, trailed by Yukimaru. The brawler locked eyes with Cinos and slowly shook his head. "This has gone far enough."

* * *

_Chapter 18 – end – _

* * *

Varanotes: Many thanks to NightmareSyndrom, The Ansem Man, axeloftheflame, GeneralGeneric, parody 'r' us, faaairyfairy, Windraider and Gloom-shroom for your reviews! Wow, FttK! is nearly hitting triple digits on that review page, but who's counting, huh?

(Hint: I AM.)

But oh man, sorry for the delay on this chapter! Sadly, with the way college is going right now, I can't promise it wont happen again some time. Still, I'm planning to get the next chapter out asap, since it's a big one.

If I manage to get 100 reviews in the meantime, I might just be encouraged to publish it earlier, know what I mean? Eh? Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more, say no more.

Until then,

-Varanus


	19. Gods' Plateau

**Fail to the King!**

* * *

_Chapter 19 – Gods' Plateau_

* * *

Bursting out of the tall castle, the flames roared furiously above Almaz as he fell into the cold night. The sky was fire, the ground was darkness and the Overlord Hero found himself night-blinded, unable to tell where the sky or ground was in his disorientation.

"_Kid! Throw me!_" Monty barked. Almaz blindly obeyed, hurling the sword back into the blaze of fire. Monty coated himself in his bright aura and shot like a rocket towards the castle, embedding his blade in the masonry. Almaz continued to fall for a moment before there was a tug on his sword arm and he realised he was swinging back towards the castle. Looking up at his right arm, he was relieved to see Monty's bandages wrapped securely around his wrist.

"_I got you, kid!_" Monty yelled, his voice resonating like it was in the young Hero's ear. "_Just make sure you don't –_"

There was a yelp of pain accompanied by a dull thud. Monty sighed. "_Make sure you don't crash into the wall. Nice_."

Almaz rubbed his nose, trying to get rid of the stars in his eyes as Monty dragged him back up. He reached the sword's hilt and pulled himself up the rest of the way up the window sill, looking up-

-Into Phoenix's waiting eyes. "Hey you," she said sweetly, rearing her foot back and smashing her armoured boot into the side of his head. Almaz blacked out for a moment, sliding across the marble floors as Monty clattered to the ground. Almaz blinked, coming to, and reached for the sword, only for Phoenix's boot to crush his hand under her heel. He yelped in surprise and she kicked him in the temple again, stepping over him and straddling his hips with her legs.

"Look at you," she cooed, cupping his face in her hands. "You're so damn young. Demons would kill to get smooth skin like yours." Almaz lashed out with a punch, which she slapped aside. "Ah ah ah..." she tutted, punching him in the jaw.

Almaz coughed, tasting blood. "Aria..." he called, panic in his voice.

"Hush now, she's sleeping..." Phoenix whispered, seizing his chin in her hand and bending down to whisper in his ear. "You wouldn't want that sweet girl to find you underneath another woman, would you? Why, she'd be in _pieces._"

"You –" Almaz began to yell, earning another strike of her gauntlet bound fist.

"I said hush," she hissed. "I'd like a little word with you about our relationship..."

"You crazy –"

She raised her hand again and he flinched instinctively, and was shocked when she simply placed her finger on his lips. "Why try to be a hero?" she asked him, pity in her voice. Almaz was speechless, both at the Valkyrie's sudden shift in mood and the look of genuine, _sane_ concern on her face.

"I want to hate you, but this close... I mean, look at you," she sighed, lifting his body up and pulling him into a loose hug. "Do you realise how young you look in my eyes? Can you imagine how many foolish boys like you I've seen running for the same cause you are? They're all dead now, one and all... and for what?" She pushed him back onto the ground and stared him into the eye. "Why did they do it? Why do you? To impress a girl? You're eighteen years old, and it... It breaks my heart to see a kid like you make such a damning mistake."

"It's not a mistake!" Almaz insisted, his voice wavering.

"It is," Phoenix said, snarling slightly. "Stop trying to save the world, it _can't_ be saved. And I am sick of people like you, cropping up on a fool's crusade, trying to preserve the order of things... the broken, dirty order that lets innocent people _die_ for all the wrong reasons."

"That's –" Almaz began.

"Hush. Just think about it," she said. "Why not just let chaos swallow it up? Things have gone on far too long. It's a mess, every last scrap of existence is filthy, so how the hell can it be cleaned? Better to just let it burn and build something new. Something bright and clean."

"This world deserves to live! You can't just decide –" His protest was cut short by her fist slamming into his jaw.

"You, Think, I, Like, This!" screamed Phoenix, fists beating into Almaz's face with every word. Grabbing his neck, she started to squeeze. "You think we just decided one day, 'hey, I'm bored, let's blow up the world!' You think you know everything, don't you? You think your eighteen years of stumbling around in naive ignorance trumps the eternity of second chances we gave this world?" she spat, rage thick in her voice. "This world will _never_ learn! It can only pretend to be kind for a passing moment! Then when you turn your back it sinks a knife of stupidity and spite and petty hatred between your ribs!"

Almaz gasped for air, trying to prise her iron grip from his throat to no avail as she continued to scream. "You prove it! I gave you a chance to escape! To leave the world with your life intact! And what do you do! You make the same mistake! The same mistake they _all _made!"

Almaz began to see spots. His face was going purple as he struggled for air under her grip and he couldn't... he couldn't... he couldn't make out what that noise snarling in his ear was.

"_-sma! Use the damn plasma blast!_" it roared. Monty's voice. Yelling about plasma...

Monty's power. And by proxy, Almaz's.

Piercing aura and black lightning, channelled through his-

Almaz's arm shot up and pinned Phoenix's forearms to his chest, ripping her hands from his throat and giving him precious oxygen. His other arm shot up and he grabbed her hair before she could dodge.

"I'm not the one who made a mistake," he growled, black lightning coursing around him and into her. She screamed in pain and shot into the air, summoning up her spear. But he was ready. The dark electricity coursed around his hand, coating his gauntlet in darkness and made it hum with power.

Almaz clenched his fist and pointed it at the Valkyrie, then flicked out his index and thumb in the shape of a gun. "Bang."

A line of plasma shot at her, more focused and intense than the random blasts Monty had used during their fight. Phoenix hissed and dived to dodge, but a swipe of Almaz's hand brought the plasma beam cutting right into her path. With a snarl, Phoenix slashed her spear, scattering his plasma beam and sending a wave of fire towards the young hero.

He opened his other palm, letting the power flow through it too, filling it with bright aura. Almaz expected a ball, but was surprised to see the swirling energy form into a spinning sabre. '_Huh. Pretty appropriate_,' he thought, and nodding half to himself he hurled it at the oncoming flames like a discus, cutting through and dispelling Phoenix's curtain of fire, revealing the wicked Valkyrie behind.

He wasn't surprised to see her surrounded by more flaming, illusionary spears, but he was ready. Charging up both hands with plasma spirals, he launched them just as Phoenix launched a volley of spears. She had the advantage of numbers, her Spear Storm once more filling the halls with fire, but his Plasma Sabres were fast and deadly accurate, cutting right through the spears and quenching their fire, slicing apart several at a time.

"_I give you phenomenal cosmic power, and the first thing you do is throw swords at her like a prinny?_" Monty hissed in his ear. "_Hurry up and hit me with some of that aura before she tries anything – I can't do anything without some of your mana, and you need to be ready for when she- here it comes!_"

A dozen spears locked in place in front of Phoenix and spun, creating an ad-hoc shield of fire that expanded as more spears began to appear. Almaz quickly pointed at Monty's sword, striking it with a beam of plasma. "_About time!_" he said cheerfully, using the beam as a zip line and flying into the young hero's hand.

"Let's go," Almaz said under his breath, and charged – before skidding to a halt as a row of stone spikes shot up in a line in front of him. "What the – Aria?" he called hopefully, recognising the technique as the one the kunoichi had been practicing.

Dark laughter filled the hall, and the stone spears burst into flames. "Sorry to disappoint, Hero," Phoenix's voice echoed. "I just liked this little trick your extinguished vassal was using. I think I'll call it '_Dirge of Hazards_'."

Spears of stone and fire shot up around him. Monty yelled for him to run but there was no need, he was already flying as fast as his legs could carry him, out of the paths of the shooting spears and the burning heat around him. Monty's aura swelled, surrounding him like a cloak, shattering any spear that so much as grazed him with a bolt of black lightning.

"You know what a 'dirge' is, don't you?" Phoenix's voice taunted. "It's a death song. Don't you just love the irony? It's your vassal's song, but she never got to sing it."

Spears, every direction. Almaz, in his cloak of aura, had a total defence, but it was far from absolute and with the sheer size of the attack, it was like fighting an army of soldiers made from air.

"She died for you," the voice said in a musical tone. "The least you can do is listen to her song. You owe her that. But instead, you keep running. How many more songs will you ignore?"

"_She's trying to get you angry, and it's working, isn't it?_" Monty whispered to him, sounding aggravated. "_That's alright, let it happen. You're a good kid, a hero in your own right, but you're entitled to your emotions. This bitch is pissing you off – show her what a mistake that is._"

"You're trying... trying to get me to –" Almaz panted, shaking his head as he grabbed a chance to breath.

"Face the music, little Hero," Phoenix answered. "Face it, for failing to save another soul. Or ignore it and throw the debt away – after all, she was only a demon..."

"Shut up!" screamed Almaz, swinging Monty around him and pulverising the spears around him with a wave of aura and a black storm of lightning.

"_Why are you letting her push you around, kid?_" his sword demanded."_You want to make her pay, but you won't let yourself give in to hatred... but that's fine,_" Monty said approvingly. "_That's what I'm here for, after all. My blade can't get any bloodier. So give in, and let me make your enemies pay. Use your aggressive feelings, kid. Let the hate flow – __**and pour it into me!**_**"**

Almaz couldn't think, couldn't pause, had to keep fighting, keep dodging, keep swinging his sword.

His sword. His power.

He couldn't think, he could only react. He was shaken, scared that Aria _no, she's fine, beat Phoenix and it'll turn out that she's fine,_ he could barely remember where or why he was here, fighting for his life _what he wouldn't give to just wake up, back in his bed at the Academy, but why did it have to be now that he realise he saw the Netherworld as home more than home itself, _and he couldn't think about Monty's words.

Only react.

A dam broke in his heart and all of his anger, outrage and fear poured out and into the waiting jaws of Monty's soul.

Something inside Almaz, something new and old, both warned and assured him that the tiny sliver of acceptance he had given the sword may very well doom him someday – but it sure as hell doomed Phoenix a lot sooner.

Monty roared with laughter as his aura burst out, blasting the black rust off him and revealing runes along the flat of the blade, runes that twisted to form the silhouette of a laughing face. Shuddering, the blade's aura filled the room with blinding light, with Almaz at the heart of it, like a miniature sun. Phoenix's spears were scattered and her mana went haywire, destroying the attack totally. Almaz spotted Phoenix, staring in disbelief behind a shield of burning spears that were quickly being whittled down by the onslaught of his and Monty's combined power. He brought the sword around and swung it with all his strength, and Monty complied by releasing a huge arc of black lightning from his edge, hurling it at the Valkyrie.

She caught the lightning on her spear and fought against it, managing to dispel it with a mighty shove. Dropping from her perch mid-air, she struck the ground with her burning spear, summoning up flames around her in order to rival Almaz's aura. "That sword..." she muttered in shocked horror. "That's the presence I felt in Holt... but I never imagined it could be..."

Almaz darted forward, blinking out of sight in a Blade Rush faster than the eye could follow. Out of sheer instinct Phoenix brought her spear around and blocked his swing as he reappeared beside her. The two weapons clashed and both shook with a bizarre resonance. "Feeling that pulse of mana, feeling that power, I..." Phoenix stared in shock at the black blade. "I _know_ you! You're the one who... you killed Koba! All of this! All of this is because you killed him!"

The runes on the flat of the black blade twisted mockingly as Monty chuckled. "_I don't remember killing one of your friends, and I don't remember you. But hey, feel free to fill me in when you see me on your next cycle._" A blast of aura separated the two and Phoenix leapt back, summoning forth a volley of burning spears around her.

"Next cycle? You think you can kill me too?" she snarled. "Why don't you die trying?"

"Why don't you try dying?" another voice yelled. A shadow fell around Phoenix and suddenly she was surrounded by dozens of dark green globules of mana. The Valkyrie's eyes went wide with surprise to see Aria, barely singed, diving for her. "You wanted to hear my song, so listen closely!" the kunoichi yelled. "_Rondo of Hazards!_"

The green orbs shook and twisted into spears of wind and mana. Phoenix tried to reel back and defend, but they were coming at her from every last angle – at least five of the spikes shot though her legs, pinning her to her spot, and several more broke through her armour, piercing right into her arms, into her torso and through her back.

With a snarl, Phoenix broke through the spears and shattered them, but before she could take a single step away the ground collapsed underneath and she found herself falling down an impossibly dark pit – lined with ominous, shaking green globules.

Almaz didn't see the attack. All he saw was Aria, appearing from nowhere, dropping a curtain of shadow around Phoenix for one instant – and in the next, Phoenix reappeared in a spray of blood, covered in grievous wounds and tears all over her body. She looked at him dead in the eye, panting heavily, clutching the right side of her face with a bloody arm.

"I won't..." she wheezed... and darted forward, her spear crashing down with another handful of summoned fire spears around her. "I won't go back there!"

Almaz and Aria jumped backwards, avoiding the comparatively weaker explosion of Phoenix's attack. He glanced to the side to take a look at his vassal, to reassure himself that she was actually there. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I managed to pull a Flame Haze, but the shockwave still launched me away. I'm sorry I wasn't –"

"Its fine, we're both fine," Almaz interrupted her apologies with a shake of his head.

"_Careful_," Monty's voice warned. "_There's no way that woman thought that little explosion would hit us.._."

As if on cue, Phoenix strode from the flames, a wicked grin on her face to replace the look of desperation she held only moments before. To the horror of both Almaz and Aria, they saw her blood had turned into grey, lumpy powder that hardened quickly over her wounds, and as she walked they fell off her body as powder, revealing unblemished skin underneath.

It was ash. From the ashes, Phoenix returned.

"Fire... she heals herself with fire..." Aria gasped. "So every time she attacked with those spears... Oh that has _got _to be cheating."

"We need to finish this, now!" Almaz yelled. Monty's blade hummed in agreement.

"_Finish this?_!" Fire flared up around the Valkyrie, shooting up into twin plumes at her back, forming into giant wings of fire. She snarled, and with a mighty explosion behind her she launched herself at Almaz. "_You're damn right it's finished!_"

Almaz's own indigo mana burst up around him, forming into the wings of his Slayer's Decent. Monty's power coursed though him, feeding black electricity into the wings, swelling them to such a colossal size Aria had to leap back to get space. Almaz took a step forward and hurled himself at Phoenix.

They crashed into each other, blue and red mana flaring like two vicious birds of prey struggling mid-flight for dominance in a battle to the death. Almaz found himself in a vortex of fire and energy, Monty's blade locked in battle with Phoenix's spear. It was just like before, back at Veldime, but this time... this time the tides turned in his favour. Black lightning crashed around them, filling him with strength and with a beat of his wings of light, he sent both of them hurtling across the hall, crashing though the tall windows once more.

They wheeled out into the night, twisting around and jostling for better angles of attack. To Aria's stunned eyes, she could only see the blinding shape of two sets of wings, one red, one blue. She found herself grinning, almost breaking out into exited laughter to see Almaz match Phoenix's ferocity. "I knew it!" she whispered to herself, watching the two crash into each other with power she could never hope to dream of, each collision setting off explosions like fireworks, lighting up the dark sky. "He can take anything they throw at him!"

* * *

Back at Veldime, there were problems stirring even that late at night.

The Dark Assembly was _not_ happy for being mustered in the middle of the night, and took it out on Jericho and Caine, refusing to listen to their motion.

"Don't you get it!" Jericho yelled at the murmuring Dark Assembly. "We need communication to Evil Academy, asap! It's the only way we'll get reinforcements!" He winced as a pain shot through him.

"Steady, lad," Caine said, clapping him on the shoulder with a large hand. The human gave him a reassuring look. "You don't want to re-open your wound, now do ya?" Turning to the assembly, he glared at the Wood Golems. "And you lot, who knows what damage those buggers are going to do to the village. Pass the damn motion already."

The Wood Golem party shifted uncomfortably, glancing between themselves and the former altered human glaring at them. As the vote was called, a few of them nodded and called out 'Aye'... but they were drowned out by the sea of 'Nay's denying the motion.

"Oh, that is _it_," snarled Jericho, grabbing the hilt of his sword. He ignored the flash of pain along his right side, determined to complete the only job he could do in his state.

"Now, hang on lad," Caine said cautiously. "Doctors orders, remember? No fighting."

"Oh, this _won't_ be a fight," Jericho said, drawing his sword and stepping forward.

* * *

Atop the plateau, the battle had turned into a standstill. "Far enough?" Cinos asked, incredulous. "No, Etem. It hasn't. I intend to fulfill my side of the pact."

"Without respecting the intent?" Tav shot back, an eyebrow raised. "I asked you to show me Zenon. But he is dead, so you bring me his daughter?"

"Ah, so you think it's vile to hunt this girl?" Cinos asked, a dangerous scowl growing on his forehead. "Etem, five minutes will fulfill my promise, find you your closure and, as an added bonus, will prevent you from becoming a hypocrite in the immediate future."

Tav shook his head. "I know the kind of damage we can do in five minutes. I just never thought you'd actually bring it this far. Koba would roll in his grave to see you today," he sighed, and turned to face Rozalin. Adell stood protectively in front of her, his stance immovable. "Easy," Tav said, raising his hands openly. He grinned. "You don't take your eyes off her, do you? That's good… make sure they never leave her." Turning his gaze to Rozalin, he breathed in a gasp of surprise. "You... I recognise you now… you're Aoi's girl... you have your mother's eyes..."

"You knew my mother...?" Rozalin asked weakly. "How...?"

Tav smiled. "Maybe when all this is over, I can tell you about her. Seeing you, now that I know what to look for, I can see who you are." He stood and marched forward like a storm, coming face to face with Cinos, scowling fiercely. "Don't you see? She is not Zenon's daughter, not by blood! The reason I was drawn to Snow Melody – it was her. She is Etoile's guardian! A haven for her soul, to protect her until her reincarnation!"

Cinos' blank stare drilled into Tav's skull, and the sorcerer raised a hand to his forehead to cradle an oncoming headache. "What have they been telling you, Etem?" he asked in a dull voice, a hint of exasperation in his tone.

"The truth, Cinos," Tav replied resolutely.

Cinos sighed, shaking his head. "No, I very much doubt it. They were being _truthful_, that's pretty likely, but they certainly weren't being honest."

"Because you are an expert at honesty, Cinos," Tav said sarcastically. "An artist. You can twist it so well, make it take whatever shape you want it to."

"If you want an artist, you should have spoken to The Artisan," Cinos snapped. "I am a scholar, and I am honoring the pact we created between ourselves. I have brought you Zenon!"

"There _is _no Zenon, Cinos!" yelled Tav. "Back then, it was his daughter that I felt when I sensed Etoile! The circumstances have changed!"

"No, Etem, nothing has changed!" Cinos said adamantly. "The past has been untangled, and the first thread we grasped has revealed itself to be the very thread we were searching for. This girl is –"

A screech of mana pierced through the night as a blaze of light lit up the plateau like a sun, accompanied by a shudder of air. Cinos' eyes narrowed at the distraction - two huge, battling auras which shot up the walls of the skyscraper-high castle and soared above the plateau. They veered violently around the air and with a crash the battle spilled over into the plateau, shockwaves knocking the fighters' balance off.

"What the –" Adell gasped, managing to see through the haze of the auras to see Almaz and Phoenix, weapons locked in battle. Monty was pressing against the haft of her spear, but the Valkyrie twisted to the side and Almaz lost his grip. The young hero quickly brought his arm up to swing Monty, but winced as his elbow banged against an invisible barrier right in front of him.

Phoenix took the chance at his opening and stabbed her spear into the shield, punching a hole in it with a surge of fire that blasted over Almaz. The Overlord Hero yelped, raising Monty in a guard to absorb most of the damage with his aura, but the attack still knocked him off his feet and sent him skidding several meters across the stone floor.

Phoenix leaped back, deciding not to follow up an attack in favor of turning on Cinos. "What the hell! You created a shield to block him! This is _my_ battle, don't you dare interfere!"

Cinos glared at her. "Things are bigger than your anger at him."

"Oh really?" the Valkyrie scoffed. "Like what?"

"Etem is being difficult," the sorcerer replied, shrugging to the brawler beside him, who glared angrily at him.

"For the love of – _that's _why you interrupted?" Phoenix asked incredulously.

And with a blur of red she stabbed Tav in the gut. The brawler gasped in surprise, falling to one knee. "W-what?" he managed to say, unable to even lift his arms.

Phoenix patted his shoulder. "Relax, it's just a flesh wound. But, you know, paralysis and all…"

"I'm sorry for this, but we can't let you get in the way," Cinos said.

"What are you planning?" the brawler snarled, his arms shaking as he tried to fight off the paralysis that was caging him.

"Many things. You're going to have to be more specific," Cinos sighed. "But regarding them? You won't listen to my words, Etem, so I just have to show you the truth. Watch, as I bring you Zenon."

* * *

At the bridge between worlds, there is a golden field, hazy and ephemeral, where a mighty gate stands. It divides the worlds, separating the human world and the demon world from the realm of angels.

It was there that a man who considered himself unworthy stood – Aurum, the Fallen Hero. Just looking at the massive gate that stood before him made the alien blood of his demonic powers squirm. He wanted to turn away, to... to run. But where else should a man cast from the Netherworld itself go to repent?

"My my. It's not often this world gets such visitors," chuckled a voice. Aurum breathed sharply, admonishing himself for being caught off-guard even here, and spun around to see who spoke.

There was no-one there, but he could sense... something. "Show yourself!" he demanded into the emptiness.

"Hahahahaha!" the voice laughed, and in a dramatic flash of light and a flourish of hands a figure appeared before him.

He was shocked to see it was a demon, one with an elegant appearance much like Master Big Star back in the Nether Institute, but older. It wore tight leather pants and a matching vest, leaving its chest bare, and on its face was a light smirk. Not laughing at Aurum, per say, more like it understood a joke he did not.

Aurum scowled at the sight, and drew his sword. "Demon! How dare you profane this holy ground with your..." As quickly as it came, the wind left the former hero's sails as he realised how much his own words applied to _himself_.

The demon smiled understandingly. "Well, well, Super Hero Aurum, is it? You certainly have changed."

Aurum frowned at the demon's knowledge of his name, but mostly at the 'Super Hero' part. "You've heard of me? Well, you can forget that title. I don't deserve it."

"Hmhmhm, I know that," the demon laughed. "I'm just relieved that I don't even have to point out your hypocrisy, pointing your sword at a demon in this place."

Aurum turned his face away, the demon's words stinging what was left of his ego. "My apologies," he said as he sheathed his sword, the words feeling like acid in his mouth. "I am not one to judge a demon's intentions. Not anymore. Besides," and with a dark grin, he looked back up at it, "I doubt you could cause any trouble Celestia couldn't handle."

"Ha! You are quick to underestimate me!" the demon laughed with a flourish. "I am an aristocrat with both strength and beauty! They call me the Dark Adonis, Vyers!"

"Is that so?" Aurum asked, narrowing his eyes. _'Adonis? Not likely. He looks like some sort of... Mid-Boss. Clearly not threatening.' _"I take it you're familiar with around here?"

"Indeed. Do you need directions?" the demon smiled its smile. "If you don't mind me saying, you look... lost."

Aurum frowned, suspicious of the demon's advice. "And you know what path I should take?"

Vyers laughed. "Come now, be sensible. If you want to get into heaven, you don't ask the opinion of a demon!"

Aurum nodded in understanding, and turned to the massive gates of Celestia. He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words. He clenched his fists in frustration, and felt a spasm of pain in his palm. Looking down at it, he saw the wound Almaz gave him that day had re-opened, staining his hand with his own blood.

He had tried to heal it, simply for practical reasons, but it had refused to do anything more than scab over, and Aurum understood why. It was because he didn't _deserve_ to be healed. He looked back up at the gates and found himself shrinking away from their radiance.

What could he say that would describe how confused he was? How much he had failed, how far he had lost his way? How much he needed their guidance, but knew he had no right to it?

"That said…" Vyers leaned forward, a sympathetic smile on its – no, _his_ face. "Sometimes, the secret is simply to... ask nicely."

Aurum closed his eyes, absorbing the words as he realised that he knew what he had to say. "Please..."

And the gates opened.

And from the radiance of Celestia a gentle yet imposing soul emerged, clad in green robes, majestic pearl wings spreading out at his back. It was the same soul Aurum had met over two centuries ago, at the height of his hero career during the conclusion of the Invincible Devastation of Rhodonite.

"Welcome, Super Hero Aurum," Seraph Lamington smiled serenely. "We've been expecting you for quite some time."

* * *

Almaz shakily got to his feet, helped up by Aria. "What happened?" his vassal asked, concerned.

"_The Cinos guy blocked off our attack and left us open_," Monty growled.

"I should have noticed that," Almaz muttered to himself. "I got angry and didn't notice..."

Monty shifted awkwardly in his grip. "_My bad, then?_"

"I can't get angry and mess up again," Almaz decided. "I'll... no, we'll focus, stop these guys and go home." He clenched his fists tightly and looked at his vassal. "Alright Aria? That's an order. We'll beat them, go back to Evil Academy and win back everyone's trust!"

Aria beamed at him, saluting. "Yes, Lord Almaz!"

"_Heh... that's a good feeling you've got there_," Monty chuckled as he felt Almaz's resolve. "_If I had known you had that kind of attitude in you I never would have bothered trying to get you angry._" The sword surged with power, the aura flaring up into the shape of a golden sabre overshadowing the black greatsword.

"You were... so, you really were trying to mess with my head," Almaz sighed, giving the blade a look. The aura shrunk slightly as the hero's doubts flowed into the blade.

"_Guilty as charged,_" Monty laughed, unashamed. "_But only because anger is powerful. But this..._" The aura surged once more, doubling the size of the aura sabre. "_This is... nostalgic. I can work with this, oh yes_."

"Then let's go," Almaz nodded, running towards the Veldime natives to regroup.

"They're having some sort of disagreement, this is the perfect time to strike, zam," Yukimaru said, before freezing in shock. Almaz looked and gasped to see Tav collapse, blood spilling from his gut.

"They attacked... their own ally?" Aria gasped.

"They won't let anything stop them... but this is fine. I can finish this in one shot, but I'll need a distraction," Rozalin said resolutely. "Can you hit them at range?"

An image flashed in Almaz's head, of the plasma swords he had fought Phoenix with down on the lower floor, of the blade of aura that covered Monty, and of how to use the two together. He glanced at the blade, who had apparently been thinking along the same lines. "Yeah, I think we can figure something out."

"Give it up!" Phoenix's voice laughed as the Valkyrie strode forward. "I'll admit, that hero's sword is giving me trouble," she shrugged, shooting Monty a glance, before looking back at the rest of the group. "But as for the rest of you, if that girl doesn't start using her _real_ power…" she brought her spear down and massive fire spears materialized in the sky over their heads. "You'll all burn!"

They didn't even get a moment to guard before the spears shot down and pierced the plateau, fracturing and blasting the castle apart in a massive explosion. Phoenix, however, didn't laugh, feeing a sense of unease. Glancing into the sky, the stars had gone out, and as she watched the smoke and dust clear she didn't see the ruins of Zenon's castle. Instead, it was a barren wasteland. She blinked, realising she had been dragged into warp-space. "What the..."

Then she sensed it. A dark throb of mana, filled with spite and anger. Smirking she looked up in the air to see Rozalin high above her, luminescent wings hovering behind her and a glowing clover seal stretched to breaking point atop her breast. "Why target them? I am your opponent, am I not?" she asked, eyes narrowed darkly.

"Opponent? No..." Phoenix chuckled. "You're my prey!" Flames burst into life around her and stretched far into the horizon in the shape of a pillar of flames that rivalled the size of the one in Holt. With a swing of her spear, the Valkyrie sent it hurtling for the Overlord Incarnate. Rozalin raised her hand and a dark ball of power and ice coalesced in the sky above the spear, crashing down on it mid-flight. Fire, ice and wind burst into a maelstrom, shattering the pillar and dragging every last shard of it into oblivion. "Nice strike!" Phoenix laughed, already sending another pillar towards the girl.

Rozalin narrowed her eyes and focused her power again, forging ice, fire and wind together and binding it tightly with her mana. "I will not be bound by the past..." she yelled, hurling the dark orb right into the head of the oncoming pillar. "_Rose Liberation!_"

The spear ruptured as it stuck the frozen orb of her power. Rozalin's Liberation ploughed through the blinding pillar, shattering it before exploding into an even greater maelstrom, the echoes of power buffeting both women and ripping apart their grasp on their alternate battlefield, dragging them both back to reality.

"You come at me, because of the past... but it ends here," Rozalin said, panting from exertion, her seal glowing defiantly. Adell stood protectively in front of her as Almaz, Yukimaru and Aria tensed themselves, ready to strike. Rozalin saw them out of the corner of her eye, and smiled defiantly. "I will be haunted by the chains of my past life no longer."

"Good speech. I think we have more in common that you might think," a voice said, and Rozalin turned to see Cinos standing before her like a dark god. "In that case, allow me to release those chains from you," he said, reaching forward and touching her seal. Rozalin gasped and fought against it, but it wasn't like back when Laharl had broken the seal three years ago. Cinos wasn't battering down her walls – he was walking up to the gate and, with a simple twist of his hand, he turned the key.

Rozalin's soul did the rest, and shattered the open gate from within in its rush to escape. The seal shuddered and fell away, scattering into the air like a cloud of fireflies, gone forever.

A wave of a dark presence washed over them. Adell felt it and rushed to her side, catching her as she collapsed while Yukimaru dove to attack Cinos, who teleported away, escaping by a hairs breath.

Almaz felt it, and shivered. "_Whoa._.." Monty chucked in his ear. "_Hope whatever comes out of her is on our side, eh?_" Aria took an involuntary step back as a dark blaze of mana began to burn around the girl, and cursed herself for it.

Phoenix felt it, and grinned. "Gotcha."

Tav felt it, and stared at the girl in disbelief. "What is this...?" He collapsed to his knees, his resolve utterly sapped. "This isn't Etoile..."

"Do you see now?" sighed Cinos, placing a hand on Tav's unprotesting shoulder, casting an Espoir to free him from his paralysis. "She is not Etoile's reincarnation. As you said yourself, it was impossible. Forgive me for dashing your hopes... but I offer you a new one. I offer you Zenon."

"But... she's Aoi's..." Tav said hoarsely, eyes dull and sightless as the horrible truth crashed down around him. "But if... if she has Etoile... I..."

"**I** **T**old **Y**ou..." Rozalin said, her quiet voice cutting though the air and silencing everyone on the throne plateau. "**I** **W**ill **N**ot **B**e **B**urdened... **B**y **A** **M**emory!" The dark aura shuddered and shrank into a tiny pinprick of darkness over her heart, and she stood back up, glaring with her own red eyes into Cinos' dead stare.

He narrowed his eyes, intrigued, and stepped forward. "I see... so the seal was only a crutch," he said, thinking aloud. "You've grown beyond the need, and can contain the power on your own? Quite admirable... but still, drawing Zenon out is an even simpler matter now."

"Why are you so adamant about that?" Adell yelled. "Even if you did, it'd be the last thing you do!"

"Say you succeed, say you draw Zenon out, then what?" Almaz asked. "You're powerful, but Zenon is a God of Overlords, or whatever. I'm kinda fuzzy about the details, but I figure that kind of reputation is something you earn."

"He's right," Yukimaru said. "What makes you believe you can challenge a god, zam?"

"That's almost amusing," Cinos said, an eyebrow arched. "I was considering asking you the same question."

The statement hung in the air, and the group stared up at the sorcerer with mixed expressions of shock and disbelief.

Except for Monty, who chuckled. "_Seriously, all three of you? Uh oh, we're screwed,_" he said, sounding more excited than worried.

"Oh jeez... we should've guessed they'd have god complexes," groaned Aria, before hitting the three with an accusatory glare. "Give me a break. You're just a bunch of demons drunk on your own delusions!"

"You mean you seriously haven't figured it out?" Phoenix asked in an incredulous tone, landing to the side and glaring at Aria. "You like to think you can fight with a spear – I though you would at least have recognized me."

"I've never seen you before that battle in the Academy," Aria shot, her spear raised in a guard.

"Come on! Surely one of the people you trained with would have mentioned it!" Phoenix said, proffering her spear. "A burning spear, standing above all others? Blazing like the flare of a phoenix?"

"_Seriously though kid, watch yourself,_" Monty warned Almaz, "_They are not lying. They aren't demons..._"

"Just because you have good equipment doesn't make you gods!" Adell said, clenching his fists.

"Look at the distance between us," Cinos stated, his voice echoing into the air. "If we are not gods, then you must be ants._** T**__era __**F**__ire_." A massive rune circle burst into life beneath his feet, blazing red like blood. The air shook, and suddenly Almaz, Adell, Rozalin, Yukimaru and Aria were dragged into a world of heat haze and lava.

The ground shook around them and the lava bubbled and surged as a massive dragon rose from the molten depths. It's serpentine body glowed with the magma locked underneath its skin, and a shaft of scorched metal served as a horn, sitting atop its crusted, rocky face like a crown. "What the heck is that?" Almaz gasped as the beast rose to its full towering height before them.

"Lee Shang-Long, the wyrm called upon by Tera Fire," Rozalin breathed, shocked and amazed by the monster.

"_Tera_ Fire?_!_" Almaz exclaimed. "I thought it only went up to Omega!"

"It was, until sorcerers went beyond the impossible, and found power beyond themselves," a voice replied. Cinos materialized in a burst of flame, floating even higher, above the crown of Lee Shang-Long. "That's the way of life. You may see a barrier, but there is always a door though it."

"Yeah, we know, and we're about to give you a demonstration right here," Adell snapped back, dropping into a stance, ready to leap the second the dragon so much as twitched.

"Fool," the sorcerer said. "We've taken all the strength you have mustered and batted it away. With your current power, all you can do is die," Cinos declared, glaring down at them, the colossal wyrm beneath him coiling up to attack. "Now choose, Miss Rozalin. Either face us as a god, or face the death of all that you hold dear."

"I am no god. I am simply myself," Rozalin declared, stepping forward. "And it is as myself that I will cast you down from your delusions and end this once and for all!"

Cinos sighed. "The hard way, hmm? Very well."

The sorcerer clapped his hand together as if to pray, and a crystal as red as his eyes materialised above them. "Know this. I shall open the path that will burn your life to ash. Behold my true form, and despair."

A surge of light bathed over them, blinding them and striping away the heat that surrounded the world.

_**Glide on Wings of Light and Air, for Thou Art Inspiration**_

_**Through the Doors You Unlock in Your Grace, Guide Our Footsteps**_

_**Up the Mountain Slope, From Where We Can See the Next World**_

_**O Key of Scion**_

The light faded, and the world returned to the throne plateau atop Zenon's castle. Almaz blinked the stars from his eyes and snapped his head around, searching for Cinos. There he stood, flanked by Phoenix and an unmoving Tav atop the ziggurat, Lee Shang-Long nowhere to be seen.

Cinos met Almaz's eyes and returned the glare, staring down at him with a golden staff in his hands. Its haft was off-white and filthy like his robes, but the blood-red crystal sat shining in the crown of the staff like a ripe apple resting in a golden, barren tree.

Other than this new weapon, however, Cinos hadn't changed in the least, still dressed in his dirty, creaseless robes and wearing his eternally bored expression.

"What?" he asked, a note of sarcasm in his voice. "Did you expect something with wings? An Evil God of some sort? Or perhaps something altogether more bizarre..."

"_Crap..._" Monty muttered. "_Heads up, kid. They're pulling out the stops..._"

Almaz shot a confused look at his sword from the corner of his eye as someone began to speak. "So what? Your true form is just you holding a staff?" Adell frowned. "Give me a break, don't build it up so dramatically..."

"Sorry to disappoint," Cinos shrugged. "This power is all that I am, my soul given form. It is the light and air that graces the world's psyche, the inspiration that unlocks all barriers. This is my true form, Overlord. I am Cinos, the twisted scion, the Staff of the Guide."

Almaz stared up at him, then down at the hilt of Monty, remembering the words the demon sword had spoken the day they fought. "What are you?" he asked the sword.

"_Don't look at me, look at them! Don't take your eyes off them!_" Monty yelled angrily, a note of genuine panic in his voice. "_Don't you get it yet, kid?_!_ They aren't demons! They're Item Gods!_"

"Item Gods_?_!" Aria exclaimed. "They actually exist_?_! But what are they doing here? Shouldn't they be stuck in the Item World_?_!"

The sorcerer scoffed. "You think that prison could hold me? I am the Key of Scion," Cinos said, raising his staff into the air. "The key to all locks and doors. The guiding beacon to all dimensions!" Red light burst into the air above him, and a massive magic circle span into life in mid-air. The circle shimmered and faded, leaving a portal in the sky which revealed a world of lava and haze beyond.

There was a serpentine hiss, like a volcano erupting, and the dragon of Tera Fire, Lee Shang-Long, shot out. Its long body soared above the heads of the group and past the castle walls, where it turned mid-flight and wrapped its body around the castle tower like a snake crawling up a tree. Its stone head towered above them, glaring down with eyes of molten fire.

"Last chance," Cinos said, deadly serious. "Awaken your godly wrath, or we bring ours down upon your life."

"I already gave you my decision," Rozalin replied, resolute. Adell tensed up beside her, ready to shield her from any attack. Yukimaru crouched down, ready to leap into the shadows and attack from the dark. Almaz raised Monty's blade as the aura surged up, cloaking the black sword in another larger phantom saber as Aria stood a few steps away, her spear ready to strike.

"Very well," Cinos sighed, disappointed. Lee Shang-Long roared and shot up in the air – and flew away from the plateau, crashing down through the crystal road leading away from the castle.

"Where is it going, zam?" yelled Yukimaru, dreading the answer.

"To a dimension gate at the end of the path," Cinos said. "The one Phoenix took earlier to arrive here. Understand? That gate wasn't _only_ a trap. It was also a contingency."

Rozalin's eyes widened in horror as she stared at the massive fleeing dragon. "No... it's going towards Holt!"

"Where it will burn everything to ash, Miss Rozalin," the sorcerer said darkly. "Because you chose to let all that you loved burn."

"You people will never learn..." Phoenix sneered, shaking her head in disgust. "We gave you yet another second chance and you just keep making the same mistakes."

"Thus is the price for challenging a god," the sorcerer said, his voice echoing though the deathly still air. "What now, heroes?"

* * *

_Chapter 19 – end –_

* * *

Varanotes: Thanks to NightmareSyndrom, Flan-Bridge, parody' r' us, GeneralGeneric, Kittylyoco, Faaairyfairy, Vegla, Vehrec and Moonlit Wave for your reviews! Vegla, you were my 100th reviewer by virtue of your superior firepower. :P Much appreciated!

Now then...

_Ultimate Staff in Disgaea 3 – Key of Scion _

_Ultimate Spear in Disgaea 3 – Flare Phoenix _

_Ultimate Fist in Disgaea 3 – Cosmo Infinity_

_Ultimate Bow in Disgaea 3 – Radiance_

_Ultimate Gun in Disgaea 3 – Invincible_

Cinos is an anagram of Scion. That's the basis of Phoenix's nicknames, they're anagrams (after all, you can't spell Sienna without insane!). So yeah, I planned this from the beginning.

... Hmm? I missed a weapon or two? Oh _yeah_... *Grins evilly*

_Ultimate Axe in Disgaea 3 – Grand Madness _

Wait, doesn't Mao have... oh, that _can't_ be good.

Hit that review button, I know you'll have something to say about this chapter! Then, check out my lj (homepage on my profile) for a deeper look (aka me gushing) at this chapter. Till next time!

-Varanus


	20. Weather the Storm

**Fail to the King!**

* * *

_Chapter 20 – Weather the Storm_

* * *

At first, no one could make a move.

Their foes were far beyond what they had anticipated. Item Gods? All Almaz had ever heard of them were a few passing mentions by Mao, of beings that resided at the very end of an Item World path generated by a Legendary item. They were masters of that realm, but they were confined there – how did these three escape?

More urgently, Cinos, the supposed Key of Scion, seemed to remove the line between sorcery and summoning, and was willing to burn down an innocent village – Adel and Rozalin's home! – if that's what it took to get what they wanted.

What could he do? Save the village but abandon his allies? That was what Cinos wanted, no doubt of that. His hands tightened around Monty's hilt, and he recalled that resonance he had felt when the dark blade had clashed with the Flare Phoenix. What had Phoenix said? That Monty had, in the past, killed one of their number? If that was true then... then as much as it frightened him, Almaz knew that as the bearer of Monty's power he may well be one of the few people here who could stand up to the Gods.

But the village-!

The first one to react was Yukimaru, snapping Almaz out of his decent into panic by dashing forward like the wind towards the three Item Gods. She passed Cinos without a glance shared between them, dived under the swipe of Phoenix's spear, rearing her fist back –

And struck Tav hard on the nose.

"So another village must burn because a so-called 'god' wants revenge on Zenon?" the kunoichi asked her former master bitterly. "Will you rebuild this one as you did the last, zam?"

He remained silent, but she didn't wait for an answer, leaping to the side and onto the edge of the castle battleground. "I will stop the dragon, zam," she said, glancing back at her allies. "You all make sure to silence these 'gods'." Without another word she dived off the castle in pursuit of the wyrm.

"Yukimaru!" Rozalin called after the Snow nin, spreading her wings to take flight and follow.

"Oh no you don't!" Phoenix yelled, slamming the blunt end of her fiery spear into the ground. A ripple of power spread from her and over Almaz's group, catching the debris and rubble up and lifting it up into the air. Phoenix grinned darkly and suddenly all that floating detritus began to glow as she yelled, "Phantoms, stand proud and avenge yourselves! _Chartreuse Gale!_"

Phantoms, confined into the rocks and rubble, burst into life before the group, all brandishing spears of different sizes and serious, steely glares, and with a sinking feeling Almaz realised they were hopelessly outnumbered.

"Aria, go with Yukimaru, stop that thing!" he shouted quickly, panic in his voice.

"Lord Almaz!" the kunoichi began to protest looking around into the army of Phantoms.

"Aria, _please!_" he shouted desperately.

Aria gave him a level look, gritting her teeth. "... I swear to Grendel, if you die I will straight up _murder_ you." Turning before she could change her mind, she dived through the Phantoms like a true ghost and jumped off the castle to follow Yukimaru.

"I'll go too! We have to -" Rozalin said quickly, stretching her wings out to take flight. Before she could take a single step, half a dozen of the Phantoms charged forward, aiming to skewer her on their spears. Adell leaped forward into the space between them, spinning a vortex kick as he knocked away the soldiers' weapons.

"I wouldn't try to run, Miss Rozalin," Cinos said. "This army will follow you wherever you try to go."

"So, another present for Zenon, I take it?" Rozalin scowled, levelling her Noble Rose up at the Item Gods. "I'm flattered."

"You shouldn't be," Phoenix glared, "They're only herding you. They're really a present for someone else," she added, and her gaze shifted to Almaz, giving him a wink.

"Me?" he exclaimed, glancing around the stern faces of the Phantoms. "Uh, thanks...? You really didn't have too..." Almaz said nervously. "I've already got attacking armies. Up to my neck in them... heh..."

"Aww, you don't like? But I picked these ones out especially for you, 'Hero'!" Phoenix sighed dramatically, looking down on him from behind her summons with a smirk on her face. "I figured you must be homesick, so I figured out the perfect way to cheer you up. Can you guess how? Do they look familiar to you?"

Almaz glanced at them. "Why should they? I..." With a sinking feeling he realised he recognised the clothes of some of the soldiers. They were wearing white, well-cut trench coats like his own, the signature uniform of the Royal Guard of Rhodonite. "They're – they're guardsmen?" Almaz exclaimed, taking a few steps back. Looking around, he recognised older uniforms, while some people weren't wearing uniforms at all, instead sporting flashy clothes or bulky armour. "I don't get it... are you all... from Rhodonite?"

"Bingo! He's a sharp one folks!" Phoenix laughed, before growing deadly serious. "Look them in the eyes, Hero. They are your predecessors. They're the ones that marched up to face the Overlord, full of righteous purpose and resolve, only to be cut down one and all."

"The Avenger gave us new hope after we died," one Phantom said, a stern man with dark glare that bored right into Almaz's eyes.

"Our sacrifices will _never_ be in vain!" another zealous fighter called. "She is the guiding hand of justice, the fire that warms this cold and bitter world!"

"And you, traitor," the stern-eyed Phanton said, brandishing his silver spear at Almaz. "You insult us, abandoning your duty to the kingdom and mocking us as the Overlord. Have you no shame!"

"The demons of the Netherworld cut us down and threaten the kingdom, but you still chose to fight for them instead of justice!" another fallen hero shouted.

"I-!" Almaz stuttered, backing away. Monty flared in his hands, trying to get the young hero back into the fight, but Almaz was too stunned and horrified at the accusations around him.

This was how he was going to be seen? As a traitor? All he ever wanted was... but he never wanted this job, Overlord of the Netherworld. But he hadn't done anything wrong – he had only ever done what was right, and he could do so much _good_, he knew it...

But would he ever be able to return home? Was he forever trapped as Overlord until he died, forever branded as a traitor?

The Phantoms began to yell out, calling him a traitor and a disgrace, an insult to the kingdom. That he should destroy the Netherworld not save it. But they were wrong, the Netherworld wasn't...

But they would only know the worse of it, wouldn't they? They died before they could see the good. And at home it would be the same, they'd never be able to see the good that the so-called vile creatures actually possessed.

If he did go home, would the people think he was a traitor too?

Would his mother?

Did Sapphire – ?

"I think I've heard just about enough," Adell snarled, stepping between Almaz and the leering dark-eyed Phantom.

"Ha! The only ones who will come to your aid are demons, traitor," the stern Phantom smirked, before scowling at the look of surprise on Adell's face. "Don't look so shocked. You wear that guise well, like it's your true skin, but we can see right into your real self, demon."

"Demon, huh?" Adell said thoughtfully, dropping into a tough stance with a scowl. "If you see me as a demon, well then, that just might be a good thing. I'll show you that demons _are _capable of mercy.

"Oh?" the lead Phantom asked, his dark glare shifting to Adell.

"That's right," the hunter nodded. "I won't kill you. Instead," Adell clenched his fists and his mana ignited around him, crimson fire at his feet. "I'll just beat you all within an inch of your lives."

Adell lashed out in a blur of movement and two deep, fist-sized dents appeared in the stern Phantom's armour. The man was too shocked to respond as Adell stepped forward and slammed his fist into his armoured gut, doubling the Phantom over and leaving him totally vulnerable as Adell reared his other fist back and sent him flying into the air with a jaw-shattering uppercut.

The shock of the attack plunged the battlefield into silence. It actually took longer for the Phantom to fly through the air and crash heavily into the ground, unconscious, than it took for Adell to send him flying in the first place.

"So, how's he doing then?" Adell asked amicably. One of the Phantoms, a woman with choppy brown hair and a white guardsman coat over a tank-top that bared her midriff, ducked down to check on him.

"Well, if I'm any judge, I'd say he has about one hit point left..." she replied, sounding vaguely impressed.

"Awesome," Adell grinned widely. It looked less like a smile, more like baring non-existent fangs. "In that case, none of you move. I'll come to you."

Adell dived forward before the stunned warriors, his fists blurring in the air as he smashed blows into the sides of their heads and into their guts. One eager warrior tried to charge Adell, but the hunter expertly sidestepped and slammed his fist into the man's solar plexus, lifting him off his feet and hurling him into a pile of groaning Phantoms.

Rozalin blinked in surprise as Adell ploughed through the enemies. It had been a long time since he had a fight like this, so she had almost forgotten how hot-blooded he could get. She sighed at the antics of her battle maniac, feeling relieved that the burning sensation smouldering under her heart no longer felt like it was overflowing.

She just had to trust in Yukimaru, and end this fight as swiftly as possible.

Several Phantoms ignored Adell and made a beeline for her, breaking her concentration. Scowling, she knelt into a pool of mana that materialised below her as she searched for her Rose Thorn. Only after she touched it did she realise her mana was no longer magenta, now instead a deep violet. She felt a pulse of fear at the change, but then felt the warmth of her Rose Thorn. She looked up, her red eyes meeting those of the Phantoms rushing for her as she dragged the Gatling gun from the portal. It was darker, coated with a shimmer of violet and humming anxiously with power. Levelling the fearsome gun at her attackers, her face fell into a cold sneer. "Try me," she dared them.

The Phantoms skidded to a halt, backing off to dive for cover – but suddenly Adell dived in front of them. "You don't want to mess with her," he assured them, then with a sweeping kick he blew them away with a blast of fire. "Trust me, I'm a much safer bet," he grinned as the Phantoms crashed into the stone ground. "Oh, and as for the rest of you?" the hunter asked, turning to the side to the Phantoms that were even now rushing to surround them.

The castle ground faded away, replaced by the harsh expanse of warp-space. Adell smirked as he saw that he had caught at least twenty of the Phantoms in his attack. "I've got two words for you," he told them, taking a hard stance and focusing all of his power into his fist, mana building up to violent levels before he darted forward and punched with all his strength. "_Big!_" The blinding mana hit the air so hard reality itself broke down at that point, becoming a singularity. "_Bang!_" Darkness shot out as the Phantoms, the air, even the very light itself on the barren land was dragged into the black hole.

Adell looked at the orb of roaring darkness and smirked, turning and walking away as the sphere shrunk down into a single point. Mana rippling in the air and light piercing from that point in space, straining to break free.

"You're not even going to watch the fireworks?" came a familiar voice. Adell blinked in surprise and looked to his side to see Phoenix there, watching him. "Oh, don't look so shocked," she said, smirking, "Those guys are _my_ Phantoms. I can walk wherever they can. Luckily for you, I can't attack here." She slinked up and leaned over to him. "So tell me, you're just going to ignore them while they blow up? That's pretty insulting."

"Uh, yeah, that's the point," Adell said with an audacious grin, challenging the Valkyrie. "Besides, cool guys don't look at explosions."

Phoenix let out a laugh as the world began to shake, blinding rays of light streaming out from behind them. "I like your style," she grinned as the world exploded.

Adell stepped back in reality as the Phantoms collapsed onto the ground. Almaz realised his jaw was hanging open and managed to close it. "What did you do?" he asked Adell.

"Hmm? Oh, I hit them with a black hole, you know," the hunter shrugged, a wide grin ruining his nonchalant attitude. "No big deal."

"No big..." Almaz muttered, looking back in shock at the two-dozen Phantoms who were groaning on the stone floor.

"_Eyes in the sky!_" Monty hissed in his ear. Almaz blinked and jumped backwards, just in time too, as he narrowly avoided being impaled by the spear of a diving Phantom. It was the woman from before, hanging her head down so her tawny hair masked her face. "_Feh, she's a quick one. Too bad her aim sucks!_"

"Does it?" the Phantom asked, totally calm even as Adell rushed forward. The stone beneath them cracked, a spiral of fractures appearing on the ground from her spear. The cracks glowed and the floor gave way, and both Almaz and the Phantom woman plummeted down into the castle halls below.

* * *

Yukimaru's lungs burned from the fumes of the dragon and her own exertion as the raced for it, trying to catch it before it reached the gate at the end of the barren glass valley. Rearing back her hand, she sent of volley of ice daggers flying for the dragon, hoping to hit between some of the rocky scales.

Two bounced off without scratching the wyrm, but one struck true, digging between the scales into its molten body. The dragon shifted, apparently irritated by this new scratch.

She only had an instant before the kunai melted, but that was all she needed. Yukimari smirked as she made a quick hand signal, and the kunai exploded with a frozen burst of mana, freezing a huge swath of scales.

For about a second. Then, the dragon's own heat thawed the ice and it turned quickly, pulling itself up to its full majestic height like a titanic python. It spotted Yukimaru almost instantly and spewed a gout of flame which the kunoichi barely dodged, diving into a cranny in the rocky ground and outrunning the flames that followed after her.

The nin swiftly leaped from the crack in the earth and hid behind a pillar, crouching down cautiously as the dragon began to plough around the valley in search of her. She had been fighting the wyrm ever since she had dived off the castle, and while at first it had mostly ignored her attacks as they melted against its skin, now it apparently thought she was just annoying enough to kill himself.

Lucky her.

"Yukimaru!" a familiar voice hissed, and the Snow nin looked over to see Aria approach steathly.

"What are you doing here, zam?" Yukimaru whispered franticly.

"Lord Almaz ordered me to help you," Aria replied. "How goes it? How much damage have you done?"

"Barely a few scratches," Yukimaru said, shaking her head. "It's no good, the dragon is a beast of magma. Ice melts far too quickly!"

"Ice beats fire!" Aria insisted.

Yukimaru's eye twitched in irritation at being lectured about ice attacks. "Listen to me! There's _too_ _much_ fire, zam! The air itself is so super-heated around it my mana can barely create an ice cube! And the heat only gets worse as we approach, so I can't do any damage at close range either, zam!"

"The air..." Aria murmured, a thought occurring to her. "What if we got rid of the air?"

"If the heat cloud around the dragon was removed, I could certainly proceed with my yukijutsu...," Yukimaru nodded, going along with the hypothetical thought. "But how are we supposed to do that, zam?"

"Not we. Me," Aria said, standing up and brandishing her spear. "You get its attention, I'll get close and scatter the heat with a Divine Storm, then we both finish it while its defence is down before it can attack."

"That sounds like a plan, zam," Yukimaru nodded. A rumble announced the wyrm's return, searching for them. The two demon women exchanged a nod and leapt back into battle as Holt's only lifeline.

* * *

"Beryl, why are we wandering out here in the sticks?" Mao sighed as he followed his diminutive rival through an abandoned section of the Nether Institute campus.

"We~ell..." Rasberyl chuckled, hopping up some rubble. "Truth be told, I'm doing a favour for Almaz."

"What." Mao scowled. _'Dammit, even my own rival is betraying me for that fake hero,'_ he growled internally, his grip tightening on his dark axe. _'Good thing we're alone. No one will even notice...'_

Rasberyl heard Mao pull his axe from its spot on his back, and turned around to see him hit the flat of the weapon repeatedly on the ground with the same frustrated scowl on his face he wore when dealing with vaguely annoying freshmen, the kind that really weren't even worth attacking.

"This axe is an eyesore!" Mao said in an irritated voice. "This axe. This axe. This chair – I mean, axe." The axe seemed to shudder and its dark aura receded, backing away like a kicked puppy. Sighing, the demon lifted it onto his shoulder and adjusted his glasses, shaking his head with an exasperated air.

"...Chair?" Rasberyl had to know.

"Hmm? Oh, it turned into a chair for a second," Mao shrugged. "You didn't see it?" Beryl shook her head warily, and the freshman class leader nodded, making a mental note. "Okay cool, good to know it's just in my head."

"Anyway," he said, looking back at the utterly confused Rasberyl. "What was it that Almaz asked you?

"Oh!" Rasberyl said, snapping out of her bewilderment. "Well, he wanted me to help him find a new place to live. It's our volunteer work, helping out the homeless! He was holed up in a safe house, but he needs a nice new castle or base to move into."

"What? Why?" Mao frowned. Honestly, that ex-fake hero's logic was indiscernible. "Can't he just live at the Academy like he always has?"

"Yeah, but..." Rasberyl paused awkwardly. "You live there."

Mao blinked. "... And?"

Rasberyl stared at Mao for a second, trying to come up with a response, but found none. So, what, Mao still saw Almaz as a friend?

She decided to drop the issue, since who knew what he'd deny if she brought it up. "Well anyway, that's just what he asked. So when he left, the girls and I started to brainstorm what to do. I mean, we had to ask him about decoration, style, all sorts of stuff! He needed to be here, but we had no idea where he was! Then Gorrilian, who was listening, in had a great suggestion! But before we could start work, we got an emergency call-"

Mao scowled. "Isn't Gorrilian one of the Diez Gentlemen?"

"Yes, exactly, which brings us to the purpose of this evening!" Rasberyl exclaimed excitedly. "Girls!"

Kyoko jumped up from nowhere onto a ruined archway. "Presenting to you..."

"Delinquents extraordinaire..." Asuka said, leaping up beside her friend. "The Diez Gentlemen!"

A shadow rose from the ground, revealing Gorillian. Keeping his hat low, Shyrone strode out from a slab of concrete embedded in the ground, his dark glare accusing the world for the theft of his precious lunch money. With a burst of light, Ms. Machiko appeared, then became a Rune Knight, before falling back to her true form as Suredeath Hellsman Beyond X.

Mao stared flatly. "Weren't there more?"

"Prinny Mask is over there," Rasberyl pointed at a doorway where, sure enough, the Diez Gentleman in question was sulking.

"Don't look!" he squealed, shrinking away from their stares.

Mao shook his head and glared at the more serious Gentlemen. "Hmm... so Salvatore really did quit..." he muttered thoughtfully.

"Fool! That was just to make you drop your guard!" a familiar shrill voice shrieked.

Mao spotted a glint on the horizon, a massive bullet hurtling towards him. Narrowing his eyes, he calculated the probability of the attack landing, his 2.8 million E.Q. crunching the numbers.

Less than 3 milliseconds before collision, and his guard _was_ down, so only enough time to raise a hand to block, but not enough time to build up an adequate level of mana to deflect the shot. This was Salvatore after all, brute strength alone wouldn't cut it and he knew the probability of getting out of the attack unscathed under these circumstances was less than 0.01%.

Then the axe shuddered in his grip and the probability shot up to 200%. Mao wasn't certain _how_ his survival-likelihood percentage had exceeded 100%, but he did know one thing.

His calculation was flawless.

Down came the axe on the huge bullet, but instead of destroying it, the bleached bones that held the axe together suddenly shifted, opening up to form a skeletal hand. Mao had meant to deflect the bullet, but instead the axe grabbed it right out of the air. Spinning on his heel, Mao swung the axe and hurled the bullet away in a perfect pitch, shooting for the sun. As the bullet disappeared in a glint in the sky, Mao glanced at the axe, and chuckled. It had closed its bony grip, except for one finger that was raised to the sky.

The middle finger. Mao grinned at that. His new axe literally added insult to injury. Worth every drop of madness it tried to dump onto him.

"So, Salvatore the Magificent," Mao chuckled as the final Diez Gentleman stepped out of the shadows. "Haven't seen you since the battle. Why haven't you been keeping in touch?"

"You stupid fool, I have!" the senior class leader yelled. "I've sent assassins, traps, envoys, heralds, musical singing telegrams, and even appeared in person but you never even noticed! I've tried to contact you fifteen thousand times in the past two days alone!"

Mao tapped his foot on the ground. "Okay, disturbing... did you try knocking on my door?"

"Don't be foolish, where's the fun in that?" Salvatore stared at him as if he were the idiot, and raised her pistol. "Now, my retribution! Jump into the stratosphere and use telekinesis to drag the sun's rays into a laser beam, carving into the moon's surface the words 'Absolute Path of Violence'!"

Mao was about to scoff, but the axe lurched eagerly and suddenly her suggestion was a _really good idea._ He glanced at Rasberyl to the side. "Hey Beryl, have you ever seen a bird's eye view of the Academy?" he asked innocently.

"What?" she blinked. "No, I – " She saw the mad grin on his face and the meaning of his words clicked in her head. "Hold on don't you dare try _eeeeeeeeeeee!_" she screamed, because they were already soaring, Mao's arm hooked around her small body, flying faster than she had ever dared, breaking the sound barrier and blasting through smog and clouds as they shot upwards. She dared a glance back and the Nether Institute was a grid of mish-mashed blocks getting smaller and smaller, strangely tinted with a hint of blue.

And then they slowed, stopping as if they had collapsed into a pile of cushions, and suddenly the entire Netherworld was spread out below them, going on forever and ever. They had to be at least a hundred miles up, but the Netherworld was so vast it looked like it kept on going forever. Rasberyl knew if she fell her tiny wings wouldn't be able to keep her aloft, but it was only an idle thought. Mao would never drop her.

And high up there, not even her strong demonic eyes could pick out the roaming battles and riots and casual aggression taking place below. It was… peaceful…

"It's so... amazing..." Rasberyl said, in awe of her world. "Kinda makes you want to..."

"Break into song?" Mao grinned. "Don't bother. In space, no one can hear you sing."

"You're never any fun," Rasberyl scoffed. "But we can still hear your ranting, huh?"

Mao returned her grin, then looked back at the Netherworld, unusually sombre. "I can see why Dad wanted to protect it..." he said. "And I can't understand why Aurum would try so hard to destroy it... Heroes can't be trusted..." he said, a dark look crossing his face. Unseen by either of them, his axe pulsed with a subtle aura of darkness. Mao blinked, shaking his head and dispelling the aura. "But Almaz isn't anything like Aurum. He's no normal hero, he's... an ex-fake hero. So I suppose I can share..."

Rasberyl stared at him, eyes gleaming. "Sharing! One of the 48-skills of affection!"

"Not forever!" Mao quickly backpedalled. "Just until I become Overlord for real! Then he's _back_ to being my vassal! And believe me..." He struck his hand out and light began to gather in it, shining like a star in the palm of his hand. "I _will_ become Overlord!" he shouted, releasing the light as a beam of energy that soared and crashed into the moon. Laughing madly, Mao directed it to carve a deep series of trenches that had Rasberyl staring in a mixture of disbelief and awe as she saw what he wrote.

"There! Ultra-public vandalism! Now everyone in the Nether Institute will know what a fearsome honour student I am!" cackled Mao. With his free arm, he grabbed the hilt of his axe and twisted around, the bony hand opening to catch something that Rasberyl realised must have been shooting for them.

Rasberyl couldn't have spoken if she wanted to, staring in wonder at the axe and _Salvatore's bullet_ in its grip, still glowing hot from its orbit around the sun. Mao's grin spread even wider. "Just as planned."

He hurled the bullet downwards and dived after it, Rasberyl hugging him tightly for dear life as they blasted back into the atmosphere and crashed into the centre of the assembled Diez Gentlemen with a massive explosion. The Gentlemen were scattered, blown away save for Salvatore who gritted her teeth and stood against the storm. "I never said anything about explosive meteor showers!" she shrieked as a wave of dust and debris washed over her.

Mao grinned as the dust cleared, a dizzy Rasberyl clutching his arm to steady herself. "Did you really expect a demon to follow your crazy order?" Mao asked mockingly, before kicking her bullet back towards her. "By the way, I thought you'd miss this."

Salvatore stood speechless, staring at the massive lump of lead, until a slow clapping broke the silence and drew her eyes over.

Mao too whipped around at the sound, his axe pulsing with darkness. _'Aurum!'_

"Bravo, Mao, bravo," an elegant voice said, and the freshman class leader's eye twitched as he saw Master Big Star walk into the clearing.

"No doubt you're wondering why exactly I am here?" he asked in his musical tone. "This wasn't a casual get together, my friend. We are all here united for one cause."

"Which is?" Mao asked.

"We're going to open a gate to Veldime, Lord Mao," came another voice, and Mao turned to see Cieg, his magician spy in Almaz's ranks.

"I got word from my vassal, Jericho, that our mutual friend Almaz is in a spot of bother," Master Big Star said. "We are all gathered here because, for one reason or another, we want to ensure Almaz's survival."

"He is my new liege," Gorrilian said, his voice carrying unwavering, somewhat deluded conviction.

"He stole my lunch money," Shyrone said, "But don't think you're off the hook either..."

"He's... well, he's kinda cute," admitted Beyond X, twirling a lock of hair coyly. Without the form of Ms Machiko, however, she couldn't really pull it off.

Mao glanced questioningly at Salvatore, who huffed, looking away, then he looked over at Big Star. "So what's your excuse?"

Master Big Star smiled, his sparkles lighting up his frame. "Same as yours. He's my friend. Now then," he said, turning to Cieg before Mao could splutter denials. "Shall we get that gate started? We shall all lend you our strength!"

Cieg nodded and rushed over to the Diez Gentlemen, while the sophomore class leader leaned down to Mao.

"Was that attack earlier wise?" Master Big Star asked in a hushed tone, his sparkles twinkling with polite concern. "Opponents could argue that you are not suited to the throne, so quickly you jumped to follow the orders of Salvatore..."

Mao grinned. "I don't think anyone could take a look at _that_ and think I'm playing by anyone else's rules," he replied, jerking a thumb towards the moon.

Big Star and the Diez Gentlemen looked up to see what he was talking about, and froze, not quite comprehending just what Mao had done. Cut deep enough to be visible even from the ground, Mao had carved a single, absolute statement across the surface of the moon.

'**DON'T SCREW WITH ME.'**

A warning? A challenge?

No. A reminder.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" Rasberyl grinned, snapping them out of their shock. "We've got a friend to save!"

* * *

"Crap! Almaz!" Adell yelled as he saw his ally fall into the depths of the castle below. A movement beside him snapped him from his shock and he reeled around with a punch –

That was caught by Tav's steel grip. "I see why you wanted to protect her now." Adell's eyes widened in shock and he couldn't recover before the brawler drove three lightning fast blows into his gut. Adell went soaring back and landed on his feet, skidding to a halt.

He glared at the brawler who was slowly approaching, not even pulling up a fighting stance. "I can't blame you," Tav sighed. "I can see a lot of myself in you. I would have deceived you too, if our positions had been reversed." He paused, then shook his head. "No... I would have silenced you and prevented the situation from escalating in the first place."

"Right, well," Adell said, darting forward, "Better late than never!"

They both punched at the same time and caught each other in a cross-counter, both fists planted hard into the other fighter's jaw. Adell saw stars and darkness, his vision rattled, but he didn't need eyes. He was in his zone, fighting against an insurmountable foe, fighting with and for everything he had.

Fire burst around them, dragging them both into Adell's warp-space, his barren arena. Swinging his fist around like a flash of a flame, the hunter stuck the first blow into Tav's nose, his rage burning as the fuel of his Vulcan Fury.

Swinging the next fist in the space of a split second, his strike was suddenly diverted by Tav's. Adell was surprised, but he remembered what Almaz had said about Monty interrupting his sword attack.

This man was an Item God. Probably a god of fists, a master of martial combat, just like Yukimaru had warned them before. This wouldn't be like his previous battles. But that didn't matter to Adell one bit.

'_That's how you're going to play?'_ though Adell, scowling as he reared his other fist back. _'Fine!'_

They rained blows on each other, Adell's fists sometimes redirected, Tav sometimes managing to drive a strike home, but the young hunter never let up, forcing more and more power into each strike until they could not be pushed aside, until they overran Tav's defences like a wave of fire crashing over him.

Adell shifted his weight, and the sudden change left Tav moving to block a punch that wasn't coming, leaving him wide open as the hunter struck him into the air with a jaw-shattering uppercut. Sucking in air, the young hunter summoned all the power he had left in this barren world into his fist. It caught fire, burning with the flames of hell, and he surged forward.

Tav twisted, his own fist glowing with a fierce light and both he and Adell crashed into each other, fire and light straining for victory.

The fire died. Light surged forward and ripped the world to shreds, and Adell fell back into reality, crashing into the stone flagstones of the castle rooftop.

"Why are you holding back!" Tav bellowed. "You have more power, burning under the surface, but you refuse to use it! I thought she meant everything to you! Isn't she your Etoile!"

Adell pushed himself to his feet. "I'm not holding back... that isn't my style."

Tav snarled. "So you're afraid then?" he spat. "I didn't take you for a coward afraid of being burned by his own fire." Adell took a shocked step back, the words hitting him like a sledgehammer as Tav continued. "I will fight, tooth and nail, with every last drop of power I possess to avenge her," he said with unyielding rage. "And I am the Fist of The Encompasser. I hold in my grip the multiverse itself. My power is without end, and if you think you can fight against me, against the entire force of my power without fighting to your absolute fullest... then you don't deserve to stand before me. Get out of my sight." The tattoo on his right index finger glowed, and he clenched his fists as his power flowed through him. Something filled the air, a presence making itself known. "_First Pillar of Creation_," Tav intoned. "_Far Fist_."

Adell rushed the fist god before he could launch his attack, but Tav simply batted the air with his the back of his hand, as if to swat a fly. Adell felt a blow strike his temple, making him see stars and sending him hurling to the side, crashing against the stone bastion of the castle.

Rozalin gasped and levelled her Noble Rose, taking aim with mana surging through it, but Tav just glared and clenched his hand. The gun crumpled and shattered as if crushed under a vice grip, and a horrified Rozalin found her hand trapped inside that same grip.

"Any good fighter can control where his strikes will land inside his reach," Tav said, raising his clenched fist. Rozalin felt herself being tugged by some invisible force, lifting her up in the air by her arm. "Any great fighter can control any and every strike inside his reach," Tav went on as Adell pulled himself from the rubble, running to her side. "But the phenomenal fighters, they know that something like reach is only a matter of perspective. And my reach spreads to the very ends of the Cosmo Infinity."

He sighed wearily. "Why did it have to come to this?" he asked the world. Releasing his grip, Rozalin fell into Adell's arms. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out as she found the grip returning – around her throat. Adell stared in horror for a moment, then turned to see Tav gripping the air, an empty expression on his face.

"Why do I have to kill Aoi's only proof of existence?" the Item God asked the world dejectedly.

Adell set Rozalin down and charged at the brawler, roaring, "_Tav!_"

The god punched with his other hand, and Adell buckled over from an invisible blow to his gut, all the air knocked from his lungs. Before he could recover, Tav gripped that hand and the vice grip closed around Adell's throat this time, choking him.

"I look at you, and see what I should have been," Tav admitted sadly to Adell, his hands strangling both the young hunter and the former princess. "I look at myself, and see what you could become. But I'm not so cruel as to turn you into as broken a creation as me."

He sighed deeply, haltingly, but when he looked back up at the two lovers gasping for oxygen, there was cold steel in his glare. "Believe me. Better you die with her, than live without."

* * *

Rozalin couldn't breathe. The world was turning into darkness and all she could feel was her lungs screaming for air, and the presence of Adell's fire slowly flickering away...

And a dark heat burning at her heart, a black inferno that she couldn't keep at bay.

And a voice.

_**Do you desire power?**_

* * *

_Chapter 20 – end – _

* * *

Varanotes: Next chapter, all hell breaks loose.

So, hope this was worth the wait - thanks for your reviews, NightmareSyndrom, Master of the Void, Moonlit Wave (my Russian translating friend ;), daniel-gudman, parody 'r' us, Alewar Warinot, eraserman, Renuki, Ghost-Drive, The Ansem Man, GeneralGeneric, Faaairyfairy, Vehrec, OverlordMao, the one who walks the path of fire, Morality0duality, Guile and chocochipcookiechan.

As usual, chapter notes and 'behind the scenes' look at my thoughts is on my lj, just click on my 'homepage' in my profile there. Inside is also an important announcement as to what is going on with my timetable right now, to give you guys and gals (oh god did I just say that?) a frame of reference for why my output has slowed so much.

I make no promises that something along these lines won't happen again, but I _do _promise to do my best with regards to this story. I am seriously excited for the next few twists, so I don't want you waiting any longer than you have to.

Stay tuned.

-Varanus


	21. No More Heroes

Close to 12k words. I wanted to cut it into two, but it just needs to be this long.

Enjoy.

* * *

**Fail to the King!**

* * *

_Chapter 21 – No More Heroes_

* * *

"And of course, that brings us to the less clearly defined ramifications, as brought up in the minutes of the Council's last meeting..." said Mir, bringing the Council's morning preliminary meeting up to speed.

Sapphire winced as Mir sat down and she saw Arthur Destone, her father's aide and Captain of the Guard, take the podium and clear his voice. "With the Princess' return..." he began to speak, his voice taking on his characteristic drone, outlining several topics Sapphire had already rehearsed a dozen times yesterday with her father and Mir.

Sapphire tapped the arm of her chair, already bored of the meeting. Normally she'd be able to mask her frustration easier, but after a month in the Netherworld without anyone to correct her manners she had apparently slipped quite a bit. Yesterday she had tried to polish up her rusty political techniques at Mir's demand as they looked for information in the royal library. As a result, they hadn't been able to get much talking done, which had both frustrated and relieved the princess for reasons she wasn't entirely sure about.

Her mind wandered back to then, speaking to Mir about Almaz. Of course, she hadn't told her everything. Almaz becoming a demon had been swept under the rug, as had... her own feelings on the matter. But she had told her of Evil Academy, how it was everything and at the same time nothing a Rhodonite citizen could imagine a school of demons was like.

In turn, Mir had told Sapphire about her phone call with him. Neither of them could fathom how or why Almaz had wound up on Veldime, but the princess was relieved to hear Aria was there as well. At least he wasn't alone...

... Of course, she couldn't help but feel that he wouldn't have been alone if she hadn't abandoned him in the first place...

She let out an imperceptible sigh and stared out of the window as the meeting droned on.

'_Almaz... I hope you're alright...' _

* * *

Almaz landed in a heap on the hard ground, and groaned. "I landed on a rock..." he whined, then sneezed. "And I think someone's mocking me..."

"_Yeah, that seems to be a thing with you..._" Monty sighed. "_Now get up. That bitch is here somewhere..._"

"So many fallen Phantoms, far too eager to fight, to avenge themselves," came her voice, right on cue. "They forget that we're here for you, traitor," she said, stepping out of the shadows, her glare meeting Almaz's eyes. "I'm sorry for this but –" the Phantom woman began, then froze in shock, staring at his face in disbelief. "Wait, you –? _You're_ the Overlord?"

"You... I know you..." Almaz said, faintly horrified as his memories flooded up and discovered her face. "Jeanne...?"

The Phantom blinked as she realised the hero's face wasn't a disguise. "Almaz?"

"_Jonny?_!_ Professor Ruff?_!" Monty exclaimed. Both Almaz and the Phantom woman looked at the sword, confused. "_Oh, I have the mic? Cool, I'm a let you finish, but... uh... you know her?_"

"She... she used to babysit me..." Almaz said, staring at the woman. "She was a guard, and used to watch me while mom was in meetings..."

"_Oh, right, I figured that was the case because as it turns out that glaring Phantom before was actually my physics teacher from high school SERIOUSLY WHAT THE CRAP?_!"

"I don't know!" Almaz shouted. "I mean..." he turned to look at Jeanne again. "I mean, I was fourteen when I last... it's been four years. You just vanished and..." Suddenly, the full scope of her situation sunk in for him.

She was a Phantom.

She was dead.

"You've grown taller..." the woman said, almost as if in a daze as she lowered her spear. With a note of surprise she recognised the coat he was wearing, a match of hers. "And you joined the guard after all. How long has it been? Four years you say? And now..." she frowned, confused. "But, why? How?"

"I... you died?_!_" Almaz asked, still in shock. "I thought you just moved away!"

"I wish that were the case," Jeanne smiled sadly. "My quest demanded that I defeat the Overlord in order to protect the Princess after the Queen's passing. I owed the Queen so much," she said, her hand touching her bare stomach where a wicked scar stretched across it. "But I barely even made it to his lair... but I refused to give up, and became a Phantom who haunted the Netherworld. At least, until the Spear of The Avenger, Flare Phoenix, found me and promised to avenge me." She sighed. "I know... you were never the type to be a traitor, but if you really are the Overlord then –"

"The Overlord never wanted to invade!" Almaz blurted out quickly. "He's been dead, like a coma or something, for two hundred years! I'm not a traitor!"

"You – what?" Jeanne stalled, now utterly confused but a desolate note of horror in her voice. "He never wanted to invade? So... we all died... for nothing?"

"I'm sorry... I almost did too..." Almaz apologised, taking a deep breath. "I went to the Netherworld. I just... I wanted to stop the Overlord before he could kidnap the princess. But he was never going to. All those horrible stories... they were all to scare people off, to stop heroes from charging in and getting killed or disrupting the lives of the demons. They wanted a carefree world, one where they could live peacefully..." he paused, then added, "Well, for a given value of peace."

Jeanne took a step back. "No," she said, a simple denial in the face of her world collapsing. "No, demons are... they're pure evil! They hunt and kill only to relish the pain of their victims!"

"There's good in them!" Almaz insisted. "You've only seen the bad so I can't blame you for doubting it since their bad is awful, horrendous, but trust me! I know I can change it! I don't know how, but now I have the strength to make sure there's peace for everyone!" Stepping forward, he stuck Monty into the floor and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Believe me! No more heroes have to die!"

"You're so... foolishly idealistic," Jeanne said, refusing to look in his eyes at first, but finally giving up with a sigh. "But... even if you could, Flare Phoenix will not allow you to leave this place alive."

"Well, I wasn't exactly going to ask her permission," Almaz said, shrugging.

She gave him a level look, stepping away from him. "You've got good posture... you really are a fighter now, aren't you?"

"Not really," Almaz said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "I'm just doing what I can..."

"_Word to the wise, he's got confidence issues,_" Monty shot from behind him. "_But if it's between him and that Flare Phoenix of yours, my money's on the kid._" Almaz wheeled around and stared incredulously at the sword, not quite sure what he heard. "_What? Is there something on my edge?_"

"I..." Almaz blinked, still staring at the blade. "You... really?"

"You're a far cry from the boy who was scared of his shadow until he was twelve, that's for sure," Jeanne said with a small smile.

"_You were – Ha! I take it back! You suck!_" Monty laughed.

"Sorry for disappointing you, Mr. Gets-Distracted-In-Fights-By-Monty-Python-Quotes," Almaz shot back.

"_Ha! Burn on – wait..._"

"The invasion of the Netherworld," Jeanne said, interrupting. "It was the Flare Phoenix's plan, but she was injured then and came into her heart to rest until the Scion healed her..." She locked eyes with Almaz. "We had all greatly anticipated that day, and were shocked when she was hurt. Was that you?"

"Well, I got a cheap shot on her," Almaz admitted.

Jeanne nodded. "Listen to me. Flare Phoenix is full of wrath and hatred and she will not rest if she knows she can cause pain to spite her enemies. But I've spoken to the older Phantoms... apparently she wasn't always like this. Apparently she once cared for this world. But she changed... they say it's because of the Scion."

"It's his fault that Phoenix has done all this?" Almaz frowned, not buying it. It was no excuse for everything she had done.

Jeanne nodded. "So I'm told. All I know is that if you want to stop what's happening, you need to defeat Cinos. He's planning something horrendous – you must stop him."

"Okay," nodded Almaz, resolute. "Will you help me?"

"I can't, Almaz," Jeanne replied, shaking her head sadly. "I'm sorry, but there's just no way around it. I am a Phantom who serves Phoenix, and I must obey her wish to battle. Even if I could, I..." she paused sombrely, before an idea occurred to her, and she looked at him with a twinkle in her eye. "However... I've always had a weakness when using spears... I tend to lunge too obviously for the head." She smiled and winked. "Though I'm sure no-one would be able to exploit that unless I explicitly told them about that flaw."

Almaz sighed. "Well, subtlety was always your strong point..."

"Very well then! En garde!" Jeanne shouted, making an exaggerated movement with her spear. Almaz snatched Monty up from the ground and smashed her spear half. Monty's black lightning shot forward onto the pieces and the broken spear exploded into a thousand splinters. Smiling, Jeanne dropped what was left of her weapon and began to glow. "Well, since I no longer have the means to fight, I suppose I'll retreat."

"Jeanne, I..." Almaz began. She looked at him questioningly, and he sighed. "Thank you and... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"You've grown into a good man, Almaz," Jeanne replied. "As long as you stay true to that, you have nothing to apologise for." And with a burst of light, she disappeared.

"_So... your babysitter, huh?_" Monty said, managing a whistle in his echoed voice. "_Quite the lady._"

"Yeah..." Almaz nodded in agreement before shaking his head quickly. "I mean, shut up, I was twelve."

"_No no_," Monty said hurriedly. "_I'm just thinking that she obviously knew how to fight. You didn't have a normal childhood, did you?_"

Almaz shrugged. "As normal as anyone else did, I suppose. I mean, my mother is the Royal Secretary and my father is the aide to the Governor of Foreign Affairs, so I spent a lot of time at the castle. Obviously it'd be the guards that took care of me when my parents weren't able. But still, it was normal..."

Normality: where a woman who praised his drawings and sneaked him chocolate when his mother wasn't looking was dead for the same reasons he was standing here today, in this ruined castle.

"... At least, I thought it was normal..." Almaz sighed.

"_Hmm..._" Monty hummed thoughtfully, before chuckling. "_Feh, does it even matter? Let's go cut up some gods._"

* * *

Adell stared with gaping eyes at Tav as his life left him, strangled to death without even touching the god. Desperately he scraped at his throat, trying to get rid of the crushing force, but he couldn't feel anything that could free him.

His vision began to fade, and he screwed his eyes shut, still fighting, scrambling for something, anything –

He felt it. In the darkness, Adell felt the force around his neck as something with a shape... the shape of a hand. Reaching back up with his eyes closed, he could feel it now, Tav's hand. Snarling, Adell let his anger ignite the spiking mana inside him, and everything around him burst into furious crimson flames.

Tav roared in pain, lashing his hand out and tossing the burning Adell away. He stared at his tattooed hand, shocked to see them slightly burnt and raw. "You get it yet?" Adell's voice said, and the god looked up to see Adell pacing for him, wreathed in flames that lashed around with the young man's anger.

"Adell, back down. You cannot win. When Cinos said we are Gods, he did not mean it lightly," Tav scowled, releasing his other hand and letting Rozalin fall to the ground, wheezing for air. Adell glanced over at her, meeting her eyes, and seeing she was alright he turned his gaze back at the god. "I am the stars in the abyss, the eternal wanderer, the heartbeat of the universe," Tav declared, his tattoos glowing with light. "I am the Hand of the Encompasser! You really think you can stand against me? The Cosmo Infinity itself!"

"Yeah, actually. I do," answered the blazing hunter.

"Then prove it!" Tav roared, charging forward into Adell's inferno, his own hands glowing with blinding light.

* * *

Rozalin shielded her eyes from the battle, the light overpowering even her enhanced demonic vision. She couldn't focus on the battle, even though her life was on the line. No, all she could feel was a burning sense of loss in her soul.

And a hauntingly familiar voice.

_**Answer me. Do you desire power?**_

'_I feel it… the dark fire in my heart, begging to be released. And yet… my mind is still my own… the seal is gone, why has the dark presence not devoured me?'_

_**He is but the Scion.**_

'_What?'_

_**He is simply the Scion. All he can do is open the door. It is your choice to walk through. So answer my question: Do you desire power?**_

'_I cannot… I cannot draw on that strength… I will not take it, Zenon!'_

_**Zenon? You are Zenon. It is your power to wield. Desire it or not, that fact is immutable.**_

'_Then, if it is mine, why ask if I want it?'_

_**Because I rest in your heart, as a final barrier to your memories and power. **_

_**Such is the duty you gave me as your arbiter… **_

_**It is all I can do now; answer your desires for power…**_

* * *

_A stark, lonely battlefield. A hundred enemies rise to face her, but Zenon only has eyes for the dark-haired girl that lay dying in her arms. The girl's eyes are wide with panic, she opens her mouth for a desperate plea._

"_Forgive me…" she chokes. "I didn't know…"_

"_You betrayed me," Zenon says in a dead voice. "I gave you my trust, and you... you sold it to the highest bidder... and now you…"_

"_Live…" the girl whispers. "Use my life, my power, if that's what it takes, but live…"_

"_Sleep within me, Etoile…" Zenon whispers in reply, and the girl bursts into crystal sand, every tiny mote a priceless diamond. One such mote is blood red, the girl's heart, Zenon knows. She reaches out to it, senses the girl's true nature and from the final speck of her that remains, Zenon forges something terrible…_

* * *

Rozalin gasped as the memory, the dream, faded. _'Etoile… you have been here all along?'_

_**Do you desire power? **_

_**I shall release it from the Vault of your heart with but a word.**_

_**Do you want to fight? Or do you want to win?**_

'_I want to live! Without bloodshed, without fear! And if this power can lead me to that path, then... let this burning coal eclipse my heart.'_

* * *

Adell panted for breath, falling to one knee as Tav stood before him, barely touched by the flames.

"Better than before," Tav said, shaking his head sadly. "But nothing has changed. There is no hope for you here – the moment I found Etoile, your fate was sealed."

"Like I give a damn," Adell snarled. "The Cosmos Infinity, The Encompasser, I don't care what you call yourself. Even if you _are_ the infinite universe, I'll burn right through the fate you've decided! _I'll _determine what will be! _Not you!_"

"Naive, Adell!" Tav roared, four lines on his tattooed fist blazing with light. "Four Pillars of Creation! _Surge Fist!_" Slamming his hands forward, the light swelled up into a massive ball of white fire. It rushed forward and Adell raised his arms in a futile attempt to defend, knowing he had no hope of dodging.

A bolt of violet mana and darkness struck the fireball, snuffing the light out instantly. A dark presence filled the air, a feeling of coldness and desolation that both fighters knew all too well descending over the battle.

And a voice.

"**Naive, he is indeed. One must be, to challenge the gods as many times as he has. To believe that some days are blessed, that the story has a happy ending. That the play ends and everybody lives.**

**But this is not one of those days. On this day, the gods **_**die**_**.**"

A shadow crackling with violet lightning materialised in the sky and shot down as a bolt of destruction, joined by a thousand identical thunderbolts that sucked the light from the air. Tav raised his hands, two lines on each hand glowing, but the dark lightning never reached him, crashing instead against a matrix of hexagonal shields of mana.

"_Clemency,_" said Cinos' voice, forcing more power into the absolute shield spell. Tav whirled around to see the sorcerer calmly lifting his Key, guarding them both against the violet storm of darkness. The brawler met Cinos' bored eyes, and the Scion shrugged.

Phoenix fell in step beside the brawler, raising her spear. "You're not alone in this battle," she reminded Tav.

"Thanks, but... I have to be," he replied, shaking his head.

Cinos held his blank gaze on him for a moment longer, before lowering the matrix shield with a tired sigh, just as the storm ended. "So then, crying for the dark sky, the false god cometh?" he asked flatly.

"**Power is truth, and the truth is self evident**," said the voice. "**The true god shall therefore be the one who perseveres. Liars, scorners, impotents. Silent snake, clipped mockingbird, starving **_**rat**_**. Dare you call yourself bearers of the truth?**"

Tav shot his eyes up and saw her, wingspan wider than the sky as her cape, darkness blacker than the abyss as her chariot. "God of Overlords," he snarled, staring without fear or dread up at her. "Zenon. At last we meet."

Zenon descended, touching the ground beside Adell. He stared at her with wide eyes, and she glared at him with vague annoyance. "**Why gape, fool? Have you no words to acknowledge me? I have awoken. Fully and completely.**"

"A-are you Rozalin... or Zenon?" Adell asked, almost pleadingly.

"**Yes,**" she replied, turning to face Tav. "**Now look sharp, my champion. My awakening is this battle's beginning and end.**"

Adell kept his shocked stare on her, before clenching his fists and standing beside her. Her satisfied smirk was not lost on him, and it gave him hope that his Rozalin was still there somewhere.

His thoughts were interrupted as Tav marched sternly forward. "It's been twenty years. Do you remember me...?" he asked calmly.

Zenon's eyes narrowed. "**I don't bother committing fools like you to memory**."

"I was speaking to Etoile," Tav snarled.

"**And I was speaking for her,**" Zenon snapped. "**Look at you. A foolish god, trying to fight against the chafing sensation of loss. Yours cannot compare to mine, and yet you still come, bearing your self-righteous fury? Fools, one and all. I am a being of solitude no longer, and whoever dares stand against me and the ones I shelter beneath the canopy of my wingspan will find themselves at the gates of hell**."

"You'll find those gates closed shut for our kind, Zenon," Cinos said. "Those gates are only there to welcome you."

"It doesn't have to be like this, Zenon!" howled Tav. "Give back Etoile's soul!"

"**There is no Etoile anymore,**" Zenon replied."**No Goddess to return to your arms. All that remains is a voice in my heart, one that borrows **_**my**_** voice to make up for the loss of her own. Listen, foolish gods... even now, her whispers turn into music**."

Zenon held out her hand and the shattered remnants of her Noble Rose flew into her palm. An orb of darkness encircled them, at its very core a tiny mote of red as the parts twisted and reassembled each other, into a Noble Rose with a deep, royal purple hue, throbbing with dark power.

This gun went beyond Noble. It became regal, divine, the true manifestation of the soul of a god. "**Behold your beloved!**" Zenon declared, levelling the dark weapon against its fellow Item Gods."**The Pistol of The Arbiter, The**_** Etoile!**_** Can you hear her, foolish gods?**"

"Etoile!" Tav shouted, losing all thought at the sight of the gun, breaking away from his allies and rushing towards the dark woman.

Adell moved forward to intercept him, but Zenon held him back by the shoulder, raising Etoile instead. "**Etoile! Sing a last song, for your prodigal lover!**" Zenon's vast wingspan materialised, trawling through the darkness in the sky, mana channelling through them into the pistol, which surged with violet energy.

Zenon placed her finger on the trigger, and Etoile sang.

All the darkness, loneliness and power of Zenon was channelled through that song, a single bullet that became a beam of destruction infused with world destroying power.

Tav ground to a halt, three lines blazing into light on his hands. "_Three Pillars of Creation!_" he yelled, thrusting one palm out. The blast crashed against it, straining to overcome the god, but he gritted his teeth and persevered, reaching with his other hand into the depths of existence to gather the strength to counter-attack. "Never say... my loss cannot compare..." he snarled. "I am the Cosmo Infinity! Infinite and beyond you! _Cosmic Nemesis!_"

He struck with the opposite palm, right into the depths of the blazing beam. A light tore through it, warm and full of hope, the collected positive emotions in the entire universe, balanced perfectly to totally neutralise Zenon's force of despair.

He breathed deeply as the dust cleared, glaring at the form of Zenon as she rose into the air with contempt on her face. "You were right about one thing," Tav said with equal contempt. "Your awakening was the beginning of the end."

* * *

Cinos vanished as Tav charged, reappearing some distance away to observe the battle, deciding it was in his best interests to see how it played out without his interference. If Tav died, well, the Scion would have been lying if he said he hadn't planned for that possibility.

Phoenix landed nearby, glaring at him. "What are you doing, just standing by?"

"Respecting Etem's wishes. He needs to do this alone," Cinos shrugged, ignoring Phoenix's rolling of her eyes as she saw right through him. "Besides, Zenon's not the only target. Have your Phantoms captured the Hero yet?"

"You make it sound as if they're my pets..." Phoenix said distastefully, before shaking her head. "And no. That hunter kid kicked the crap out of all of the weaklings and most of the good fighters. Only one of them managed to reach the Hero, and even she was taken out. The rest of them vanished the second Zenon woke up, the cowards... And with all this dark mana flying through the air, I can't sense him. I've got no idea where he went to."

There was a tremor in the ground entirely unrelated to the battle raging between Tav and Zenon, and both the Item Gods looked down. "... I think I might have an inkling," Cinos said, deadpan.

The stone floor slab in front of the sorcerer suddenly collapsed, as if someone had sliced it into pieces. Cinos narrowed his eyes and raised his staff, just in time to catch the Overlord Hero as he shot from the hole in the ground and clashed into him, blade locking with key. Cinos glanced over at Phoenix, telling her with his eyes to leave it to him, so with a hiss of annoyance she flew backwards and Cinos teleported, creating distance between him and the hero.

Distance which Almaz quickly closed. '_Where has this resolve come from, I wonder?_' Cinos thought idly as he defended again, layering shields between them and bringing his staff up in defence. Almaz's black sword cut through the shields like tissue paper and struck the staff, letting out a strange ringing resonance.

Cinos idly recognised the sound, suddenly becoming interested in the sword. "May I just say, congratulations," the heretic said to the hero, glancing at Almaz with a bored expression. "You've surprised me lately. Of course, I'm a pessimist, so I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop when you bitterly disappoint me again."

"Don't pretend I'm supposed to care about what you think!" yelled Almaz, attacking again with a horizontal slash.

Cinos frowned, teleporting a short distance away._ 'That sword... its power is familiar, but where exactly have I seen it?'_ As Almaz came forward with another swing, the sorcerer created several shields at different angles to deflect the sword away from him and give him a chance to analyse it. He only needed one moment...

That moment was given to him. Almaz was caught off guard by the hexagon shields materialising just as he attacked. Monty skidded off the surface of one angled shield, then crashed to a halt as he was embedded in another.

"Third Eye," Cinos said, focusing all the power of his sixth sense right onto Monty.

Cinos, possessing a godly sixth sense, saw far more than Jericho did back at Holt. Or rather, he was able to grasp the scope of what Monty's black spot in the world meant. Whereas Jericho saw a pitch-black sword, Cinos saw a void in the world, leading to an endless black abyss.

A tiny glimmer of light caught his attention near the hilt of the sword shape. No... not tiny... just far away, as far down in that abyss as the stars are from the earth. But he could feel the warmth of that star like it was a furnace – powerful, friendly, a defiant '_yes_' in an abyss of '_no_'.

Cinos reached out to that warmth, momentarily forgetting who and where he was. He _knew_ that warmth... but a shift in the abyss snapped him out of his split-second daze as a tendril of darkness shot for his head.

The sorcerer caught the black spike and broke it off, giving it a glance before tuning his senses back to reality. The black spike collapsed like dust, staining his hand like charcoal.

"_Ow!_" Monty yelped as the young hero jumped away from Cinos to avoid a counter-attack.

"What's the matter?" Almaz asked.

"_I dunno, that guy just... did something!_"

A shudder from Zenon and Tav's battle shook the castle and startled the Overlord Hero. He almost glanced back but caught himself at the last second. "What's happening behind?" he asked Monty.

The sword turned his attention to the raging battle behind them. The glowing runes on the flat of the blade widened in shock, and if Monty still had a mouth it would have been hanging wide open. "_Uh... nothing! Don't worry about it!_" he said quickly, realising how much Almaz would freak out if he realised Zenon herself had awoken.

"Really?" Almaz asked.

Monty shook in his grip. "_Yeah, focus on this fight. Seriously, this is, uh, this is the bigger deal,_" he replied, somewhat unconvincingly.

Almaz nodded, lowered the blade and charged.

Cinos idly rubbed his thumb and index finger together, getting a feel for the black powder from Monty's abyss. It was grimy and coarse, sticking to his hand and robes like tar. But he recognised it. He could have recognised it anywhere. "How appropriate... the only way to remove this blackness is to rub it off on someone else..."

But then, why was there that defiant light inside? Cinos formed a hypothesis in his mind and, with a glare at Almaz, he realised he had everything he needed to test it.

Raising his staff, hermetic runes appeared in the air as a portal to warp-space was unlocked. "Back in the forest... I see now Omega Ice wasn't enough," Cinos said. "Face a chill ten times more frozen. _**T**__era __**I**__ce_."

From the portal a warrior stepped out, a lady of war in icy blue armour that towered over the battlefield and exuded a chill into the air. She glared coolly down, trident at her side as she adjusted her rime-coated glasses in order to examine her target. Almaz stopped his charge and stared in shock up at the woman, who apparently found him lacking as she flew into the air, shavings of ice flying in the air like feathers.

Almaz blinked, glancing to the side. They were still on the castle roof, meaning that the spell wasn't just going to hit him; it would also sweep up Adell and Rozalin. Yukimaru wasn't here to pull him from the snow again...

"_What's with that weakass feeling!_" Monty laughed in his ear, his bright aura flaring up. "_Give me a break! We knocked a god of fire out of the sky just five minutes ago! That was fun, _this_ is boring! It's time for an ice-breaker!_"

Almaz grinned slightly and nodded. "You're right," he said, and the black blade's aura hardened into a massive golden sabre coating Monty, just as they imagined before. He jumped into the air as the frozen lady of war charged down with her lance, and with a yell, cut the air, sending the aura sabre flying for her. "_Sun Splitter!_"

The woman's ice lance crumpled and broke the instant it touched Almaz's soaring sword, and she raised her arms quickly to defend, to no avail. The sabre crashed into her and Monty's yellow aura exploded out, surging through her guard and through the ice warrior herself, soaring into the night sky and splitting the clouds high in the air.

The lady of war shakily lowered her guard and touched her face. The moment her fingers grazed her frost-rimmed glasses, they split in two at the nose. She blinked in surprise, looked down at Almaz with an air of disbelief, then smiled. "_Touché. Match goes to you_," she said in a thunderous, regal voice, and blinked out of existence in an explosion of ice and snow.

Almaz panted from the exertion, Monty resting on his shoulder, as he looked from the snowfall to the sorcerer nearby, slowly clapping in mocking applaud.

"Ah, there it is. The bitter disappointment," Cinos said, a dark look on his face.

* * *

"_Four Pillars!_" Tav roared, sending a blast of white flame billowing for Zenon. She twitched her finger, and a massive glowing wing descended around her, blocking the attack. She countered with a bolt of dark lightning descending from above, but Tav spotted it quick enough and raised his hand, one of the lines fading.

"_Twin Pillars! Guiding Palm!_" he yelled, and the lightning crashed into his hand and gathered there as if it were solid. He hurled the ball of lightning at Zenon, who swiftly moved to disperse it with a well placed shot of Etoile.

The battle of the Gods was unnervingly sedate, a crossing of attacks and counterattacks as both tried to lure the other into making a fatal mistake. At any moment, one of them would slip, and the other would cut them down mercilessly. Adell could only stand beside the girl he hoped was still Rozalin, totally helpless to aid her. Zenon's eyes flickered over to him, sensing his feelings of uselessness, before pulling her eyes back onto the battle.

"**I am curious. Cosmo Infinity, was it?**" she taunted, sending a volley of lightning towards the brawler."**It took you so long to realise who I truly am, so I doubt you can see every corner of your domain... Ah, of course. You are a God of Gauntlets. And though your reach and touch spreads across the sky, your eyes are confined to your sockets... omnipresent, but not omniscient. How reassuring. Tell me, rat,**" Zenon smirked, dark mana coalescing around her as a violet bolt of mana crashed towards Tav. "**Is my understanding of you correct?**"

"Hmph," Tav grunted, fading from the path of the lightning bolt and reappearing at Zenon's side. "If you're so curious," he snarled, his fist moving like a freight train. "Why not ask Etoile?"

"**Etoile is dead**," Zenon said, titling back to dodge the strike by a hair's breath. The air shuddered around them from the force of the blow as the dark goddess snapped her hand up and placed the barrel of Etoile at Tav's lips. "**Though I suppose she could spare you a last kiss...**"

Tav didn't have the chance to move before Zenon pulled the trigger. Darkness erupted from the barrel of the gun and the Fist God's head whipped back as he was sent tumbling away, blood trailing in the air behind him. His body was limp for a moment, then his feet dug into the stone ground beneath him and he skidded to a halt, kicking up a trail of dust.

Tav grinned at the surprised Zenon and Adell, blood staining his teeth – and a bullet clenched between them. He spat it out, and nailed it with a lightning fast jab, sending it right back at Zenon at twice its former speed.

Etoile whipped up again and fired another shot, calling thunder out into the plateau. A beam of darkness cut through the bullet and headed for Tav, but his hands glowed again and he caught the beam as if it were putty, letting the energy build up in his palms like a ball of shadows. Zenon smirked and sent a volley of shots at him as the god charged forward, weaving between shots, catching the blasts from the air until his hands were filled with dark globes of mana.

"You can't overwhelm me!" Tav roared, striking the air before Zenon with an open palm, releasing the pent-up energy inside towards Zenon. A massive ephemeral wing rose in place to shield, sending indigo bolts of lightning as a counter, but Tav had already disappeared. His Wanderlust dragged him into the air above Zenon and he struck downwards with his other hand, sending her own wretched mana crashing down towards her.

Zenon merely narrowed her eyes and raised a wing, letting her mana course right back into her. "**How foolish, attempting to use my despair against me,**" Zenon scowled. Adell shuddered at the sound of her voice and the whipping winds that were drenched in her cold power. It didn't sound like Rozalin at all...

"It doesn't matter. I just needed a second taste of it," Tav retorted, landing a short distance away. "I have it in my grasp – a positive force to counter your negative one."

"**A counter to my solitude?**" Zenon scoffed. The dark mana began to collect at the barrel of Etoile – burning rage, howling loneliness and frozen sorrow building up into a shuddering orb at Zenon's command. The world went dark, trapping the combatants within a cage of the God of Overlord's making. "**Know this. There is no force in this life or the next that can withstand the gales of my despair. '**_**Deus Libera Te Ipsum'!**__"_ The dark beam blasted forward, carving a trench into the castle's stone floor as it devoured everything in its path.

"No _single_ force," Tav snarled over the storm of darkness rising around him. "But what about _every_ force? _Third Pillar!_" His hand flared with light and warmth, and he tore into the frozen, desolate mana of Zenon, dispelling it like mist faced with the rising sun.

Zenon narrowed her eyes. "**Once again, you mock my sorrows with power that is not your own. Answer me, rat, how can that be?**"

"It's my third technique in my fighting style, Pillars of Creation," Tav replied. He raised a tattooed finger. "One Pillar can strike any point in space." He raised a second finger. "Two can latch onto mana and guide it where I desire. But three?" He raised the third finger, before clenching the fist. "They touch the hearts of every being in my domain, and summon my foe's nemesis. It doesn't matter how deep or vast your power is. Within this world there is an equal and opposite force to negate it. Gather the despair of the world, and I'll just gather enough hope, faith and belief to fuel my counter-strike."

"**Fool. My despair is endless. Even if you could gather up the hopes of the world, it would not amount to more than a candle in the storm of my solitude**," Zenon shot coldly.

"Can you really claim to be so lonely with Adell by you side?" Tav glared.

The question caught Zenon off guard, startling her as she realised an answer did not come readily. She glanced over at Adell...

And Tav took his chance.

"_First Pillar!_" Tav snarled, driving a punch into thin air that broke the sound barrier. Zenon's head whipped to the side as the invisible force collided into her temple. With a startled yelp, she dove away, clutching her face to stave away the pain and unleashed a storm of violet lighting at the Fist God.

"How dare you hide behind your veneer of misery!" Tav roared, raising a hand shining with his Two Pillars and catching the lightning like putty. Stepping forward, his Wanderlust dragged him directly in front of Zenon, he plunged a fist burning with her own power into her solar plexus.

Zenon could have dodged, but that would be going on the defensive – and fighting defensively against a man who could slip through and defence or barrier was as sure a death sentence as earning her ire. So she endured the black shock of her own despair ripping through her, all for that chance of snatching a hold of Tav's arm. "**And how dare you presume my despair is feigned**," she hissed back.

Etoile was at his head, and the trigger pulled, but the god's free hand shot up and snatched her wrist, pushing Zenon's pistol away just as the violet beam escaped the barrel.

"Presume? Pah!" spat Tav, twisting her arm and the pistol away from him. "If that despair had broken you, you would have drowned in it and saved the universe a festering wound!" His grip on her wrist tightened and Zenon felt her bones fracture.

"But instead!" he snarled, his hands surging with scorching light as the two gods struggled against each other. "You rose, dragging behind chains mired in misery! Chaining the world, withering it with your scorn, razing it with ire, willing it to freeze with fear!"

The black coal of Zenon's heart began to drum into a frenzied beat and a storm of violet lightning crashed around the two of them. The stone slabs of the castle were reduced to dust where they struck, and dark welts and burns began to lace Tav's skin, but he did not so much as flinch. "Ruin and destruction is left in your wake! And yet! You _persist!_" he yelled, ripping his shining hands out of Zenon's vice-like grip. The light illuminated the plateau and surged forward, engulfing the dark goddess completely.

"_Rozalin!"_ screamed Adell, barely able to make out what was happening from the storm of thunderbolts and light that engulfed the battling gods.

"_**Stay back, fool!" **_her voice screeched in reply, accompanied by a gunshot. The light split like a crashing wave, revealing Zenon, battered, burnt and swearing bloody murder with her glare. Three cracks of thunder pealed from her pistol, sending three beams of violet mana, tipped by bullets shuddering with mana; towards Tav.

Two missed their mark by a pathetic margin; the third Tav simply caught in his hand, quenching the bullet in a crushing grip. "You speak of champions as you doom another innocent," he said with a disgusted curl of his lip. "And you flaunt your despair like a badge of honour, like an emblem to proudly display rather than what it truly is - a noose of chains that will only strangle any good you touch!" A single line shone on his hand as he reared his fist back. "So allow me to put you out of this world's misery. _Far Fist!"_

Too fast to counter, too far to interrupt, impossible to avoid. Zenon raised her winds to shield, knowing it was useless. The air itself shuddered from the force of the blow as a horrible snap echoed in the plateau – and Zenon realised Adell was standing in front of her, his arms raised in a guard.

One arm, that is. The other was bent at sickening angle, the sight of it conjuring up dreadful images from her memories of mangled and broken bodies, many of which at her own hands, more at the hands of her conspirers. She would _not_ let the same happen to her first champion in millennia.

"Rozalin..." Adell wheezed. Zenon recognised the sound of a man breathing through broken ribs and was about to berate him... when he turned his face to her and she saw him grinning victoriously, blood on his teeth. "I got him."

She blinked, staring from his hand clenching something intangible to a horrified Tav, struggling to free his twisted arm from an invisible grip. "That's the weakness of that ability, isn't it?" Adell said, half-laughing at Tav. "Your hand's reach is infinite, but it's still your hand. Move the right way, and you can twist it just like any other!"

"No-one..." Tav gasped, too stunned to pull his trapped hand away. "No-one has ever..."

"**Nor shall they again,**" Zenon smirked, filling the world with darkness around them, dragging the trio into warp-space as she rose alongside Adell, her wings whipping out to the corners of the earth, gathering darkness, hatred and loss from both Veldime and the depths of her soul. "**Feel this, Etem. Feel the depth of my despair and solitude. May your knees buckle under the weight and let the black tide of sorrow drown you as you fall into oblivion. Take all of my anger, all of my pain, all of my sadness – I have no more need of it. **_**I am free of it!**_" Thunder and lightning ripped the sky to shreds, howling winds screamed for the death of the world, and Zenon obliged, bringing her wrath down upon the God of Fists. "**Dark Liberation!**"

The air rumbled around Tav, winds rushed as if trying to escape. Tav too tried to dodge, to flee, to let his Wanderlust drag him away, but he found no path to take him – he was trapped in a world of Zenon's creation, and though he could sense every corner of it, none of it afforded him sanctuary. The world shuddered, one last plea for life to Zenon's deaf ears, and then...

Utter cataclysm.

The world below was destroyed, sundered by the darkness and fire of Zenon, the End of Things ushered in by the God of Overlords to wipe away even the infinite cosmos. Lightning ripped the world into shreds, revealing glimpse into an impossible void beyond until the fire rushed up to sear the wounds shut into shuddering black scars. And when the fires cooled and the winds stilled, Zenon and her champion landed on the barren plain, a new one built by her power in a world cleansed of the God of Fists.

"It's... over," Adell breathed, in awe of the now silent world.

"**Etoile... one day you shall join him...**" Zenon whispered, the slightest note of regret in her voice.

Adell looked at her face, her expression betraying sadness in a way that Rozalin would show only when they were alone. His heart stopped for a moment, as he realised... Rozalin... she was still there.

But as he moved to wrap his arms around her, a shuddering presence and a light in the sky froze him in his tracks.

"_**It will never be over. I will never stop, never surrender. You can run to the ends of the earth, but I will be there waiting**_," Tav's voice snarled. The stars in the sky blazed with light, bathing the barren warp-space with warmth as if it were daylight.

_**Aleph Et Tav, Thou Art The Beginning in Our Hearts, The End We Can Never Grasp,**_

_**Etem, Thou Art the Encompassing Truth That Binds This World**_

_**Encircle Us in Your Arms; Naught is Beyond Your Reach,**_

_**O Cosmo Infinity**_

"_**Seventh Pillar of Creation – Super Ego!**_" his voice echoed through the empty warp-space. Zenon felt shock for the first time since her awakening and turned with Adell, looking into the sky. There, the infinite expanse of space glimmered with stars, and superimposed on them, like a constellation spread across countless galaxies come to life, was the embodiment of the Cosmo Infinity.

Etem stared down at them, towering over the tiny world where Adell and Zenon stood. The Universe raised its palm before bringing it down like the falling sky, like the wrath of heaven. The dark storm rose again, ferocious and panicked as Zenon's wings hurled another maelstrom into the sky, but the Hand of the Universe brushed it aside as if it were smoke. It rushed around them, encircling the plateau the two stood on, set to obliterate the very world they clung to.

And Zenon froze. _Never_ had someone endured her wrath. "**Not even...**"

"Not even close!" Adell roared, leaping into the sky as the Hand of Infinity came crashing down. Adell was soaring, higher than he had ever leaped. His arm shot pangs of pain through him so he twisted around, going for the falling sky feet first, bathed in blood-red fire.

He didn't cry out the name of the technique – it wasn't Soaring Fire, it was something greater, something that could match the wrath of a vengeful god. And match its wrath it did, as he crashed into the falling Hand, halting its decent. Fire swathed across the Palm as Adell's defiant scream echoed through the warp-space, refusing Tav any quarter until finally, the pressure and the winds abated and the Hand rose back into the sky.

He was aware, painfully so, that the god had withdrawn his attack purposefully, more curious about Adell's defiance than intimidated by it. _'Well, that's fine,_' Adell reasoned, falling back to the stone plateau. _'It just means I'll get a better footing next time.'_

"_**That's good... it's a shame, that you show sparks of your potential at the very end...**_" the god's voice echoed through the realm as Adell landed, nearly faltering until Zenon grasped his shoulder.

Adell's knees shook, and he heaved as his body rocked dangerously. A sharp taste flooded his mouth and with a grimace he spat out a mouthful of blood, more than he liked to see. It splattered on the ground, hissing and steaming, matching the fury he felt under the arrogant sky.

"You've got nothing!" he roared at the sky. "Come on! I've fought flat-chested little girls with their hair in pigtails that were tougher than you! And that's not even counting my sister! I mean, I don't like girls but at least I can _respect_ones who can throw a punch!"

_**"I pulled my strike, and even then, you fail to grasp how greatly my power eclipses yours."**_ Etem's voice resonated in the air._** "You have grievous internal bleeding and practically every bone you possess is at the very least fractured, not to mention your broken arm'**_

"Ha!" Adell barked triumphantly. "That just makes us even! I'd hate to make things even tougher for you!"

_**"Adell, it is over. You can barely stand. Even if I were to spare you, within the hour your injuries will take their toll and you will die. Listen to reason."**_

"Reason_!_?" Adell yelled in outrage. "You gigantic hypocritical prick! You've got nothing! What are you here even here for!_?_ Have you even been listening to the crappy justifications you've been spouting!_?_ You don't even know why you're here! Revenge one minute! Saving innocents the next! So why did you let my home burn, you bastard!_?_ Pick a motive and stick to it!"

Blood rose in his throat and he began to cough, hacking onto the stone plateau. The blood steamed where it landed, leaving a dry stain on the rock within mere moments. After a second, Adell continued to speak, his voice dropping to a low growl. "At least I'm here, fighting for something I believe in. Fighting for someone I love." Throwing his head back, he locked eyes with the being starched across the stars. "At least I have a reason to be here! You've got nothing! Your reach spans the universe, but you're holding onto nothing!"

To that, the god painted across the stars was silent.

"**Fool!"** Rozalin said angrily, her heart still in a frenzy from the sight of his leap towards the palm that had brushed aside her wrath as if it were mist.** "Do you wish to die a moment sooner? What possessed you to-?**"

"He said a bunch of crap, about your chains, and how you're dragging others back, but he's wrong, okay?" he said hastily, almost pleadingly.

"**Adell, you are rambling."**

He took her outstretched hand with his uninjured one and gripped it like a lifeline. "Rozalin, when we get back – _when_ we get back... marry me."

Zenon had heard those words before. Sometimes they had even been directed to her, occasionally with degrees of sincerity, but never from a man like Adell, never with his conviction, never in spite of a damning situation like the one they were trapped in now – even the starry figure of Etem spread across the sky seemed to still. "**What?**_**!**_"

"Ugh... I should have asked you before..." he groaned quietly. "I meant to, really, but you know how... how we _both_ are..."

The world began to shake. Etem's palm was above them, that fact registered somewhere in the back of their minds, but all else was secondary to them at this moment. His blue eyes glanced at her, unsure. "Well?"

"**Put me on the spot, haven't you?**" Rozalin demanded, looking flustered. "**Fool... you certainly took your time in asking. Why now, of all times? If you dare say it was so we would have a reason to survive this night, I warn you I will refuse.**"

"You called me a champion, didn't you?" Adell replied. "That's why. I like that – people call me hero all the time if they find out about what we did for Veldime, but it never mattered to me. All I ever wanted was to save my family... and now, all I want is to be beside you."

"**Adell, you... how can this be?**" Zenon asked, her eyes softening just as Rozalin's did in those rare private moments, because it _was_ Rozalin, how could he ever have doubted that? "**That you continue to shock me with gestures which would be so trite in another man's hands? With each moment you are beside me, my burdens seem, at last, bearable?**"

"Hey," Adell grinned, moving forward to catch her lips. "That's just my style."

The kiss was neither deep nor dashing. It was merely an affirmation of a tiny promise they shared. It wasn't a final kiss by any means; they both understood that.

"All I know is, I've never fought as well as I have whenever I'm beside you, Rozalin," he confessed. "And if, to save me, you're willing to become more than just Rozalin... then I'm going to have to start fighting as more than just me. And... We should fight as more than just us."

"**Strong words,"** Rozalin chuckled, before giving him a grave look, one that carried the weight of Zenon to bear. **"Is that one of your iron promises then? To match me, a girl who confronts the goddess within? A promise to confront your own heritage, which looms over you so?"**

"If that's what it takes," he promised. "If that's what it takes to stay here, beside you..." He turned his head and took a step forward, rearing his head back to challenge the sky. "You hear me, Tav!_?_ I don't care how far you think your reach stretches, as long as I can breath, you won't reach her! I'll do whatever it takes, I'll go wherever it takes, even to the ends of the universe, to keep her safe from you! You hear me!_?_"

"**I hear you, Adell**," Tav's echo replied. "**And I am sorry**."

The Hand of the Cosmos god descended upon them. But the buffeting winds and crushing force of mana bearing down on them did nothing to shake their stance nor separate their intertwined fingers.

"**Chains of solitude... chains of despair...**" Rozalin mused aloud, her self-assured smirk emerging from Zenon's darkened visage like a breath of air. "**Little did I realise, the moment I met Adell; they began to rust and erode. And now that he has shattered them completely, allow me to show you, just what they held back**."

Rozalin's wings materialised, six blades of sickly mana that reached out across the barren warpscape. But no darkness pulsed around them. Instead, at their feet, Adell's fire ignited and drew them into a crimson cowl.

"We won't be bound down!" Adell roared at the falling sky. "Not by the past! Not by the universe! And not by someone like you who's forgotten the reason he's fighting in the first place!"

The fires around them spread, Adell's crimson flame coating Rozalin's world spanning wings in a blaze of fire that put Ragnarok to shame. "**This is my –**"

"This is our," Adell grinned, shouting defiantly at the descending palm of Creation.

And with one voice and soul, the wings whipped forward, shattering physical and magical laws to enclose Etem's near infinite form in their grasp. Their fires consumed the sky, consumed the universe; consumed the very_ existence_ of that pocket reality, until there was nothing but heat and light and the victorious voices of two lovers.

"_**CRIMSON LIBERATION!"**_

* * *

Almaz scowled, raising Monty warily. "Disappointment?" he asked, cautious of where the sorcerer's mind games would go.

"Indeed." The Staff of The Guide stared darkly at Almaz, narrowing his eyes. "That sword... all this power, it's not really yours, is it? Just like all others, you draw your strength from your weapons and armour. You would be nothing without the providence of my pantheon."

"_Don't flatter yourself_," Monty chuckled.

"You've got nothing to do with it!" Almaz said angrily.

"Amazing," the sorcerer gave the hero an incredulous look. "A month in the Netherworld, you snatched the title of Overlord. A week later, you stand before me wielding the power of a god and yet... yet you _still_ have not learned what even an infant should know – How to stand on your own feet."

"You've been watching me! Why? What are you planning?" Almaz demanded before shaking his head. "You know what, I don't want to know. I'm going to stop you either way!"

"With what, that sword?" Cinos asked, contempt heavy in his voice. "That power isn't yours. You became Overlord by hanging onto the coattails of your friends, and you wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for me. You would still be wallowing in self pity back at the foot of your throne."

"You're wrong! I didn't snap out of it to fight you, when you invaded my Netherworld!" Almaz yelled. "I did it because Aria came back! Because of her, I know! I know I can trust my friends! "

"Is that what you believe?" Cinos said, an eyebrow arched. "When I found that princess of yours, she was fleeing the Netherworld. Mao locked himself in his laboratories, not giving you a second thought, and Rasberyl focused only on him! Even your precious Master Champloo, the only demon wise enough to actually help you recognise your potential, abandoned you! No one was going to return for you, tragic Overlord! The only reason you stand here today is because of me!"

"You had nothing to do with it!" Almaz shouted.

"Wrong, Hero!" Cinos snapped, his quiet voice cutting through the air. "I was the _only_ one who possessed a shred of pity for you! Your vassal was the one who finally snapped you out of your pathetic depression. But she wasn't your vassal then, nor was she Mao's. So tell me, boy... _who do you think sent her?_"

"No…" Almaz gasped, horrified. Aria had said another demon had hired her... but for it to be him... she... was she still...? "No, no, I won't believe you. You couldn't have… you didn't… She wouldn't!" he panicked in denial. "You tried to kill me, and… and… she's my friend! Not your vassal!"

"Perhaps now, perhaps not," Cinos said in a cold, undeniable voice. "The fact remains that the first to give you a second thought was the one you call a mortal foe. Can you grasp how pathetic you are? I pitied you for a moment and sent your ever _loyal_ vassal to save you, and then when Phoenix announced her desire for the invasion, you had to die."

Almaz stumbled backwards, unable to think, and as his guard was down Phoenix dived forward and struck him in the gut with her armoured knee, bucking him over. She punched him and he fell to the side, disorientated.

"You've been a real thorn in my side, hero," Phoenix spat, her spear on her shoulder. "I gave an out, and you threw it back in my face. That was your last chance. Now, I'm going to kill you, even if it's the last thing I do."

"Do you get it now?" Cinos asked Almaz, who was slowly curling into a ball, horrified. "Your life was merely the passing whim of a being _far beyond you_."

"_Far beyond! Don't make me sick!_" Monty's voice yelled. A black spike of lightning shot from the blade and struck Almaz, and aura exploded around them, a massive flare of light that lit the dark tower brighter than day. "_From where I'm standing, it only looks about ten feet,"_ Monty laughed as Almaz gripped the hilt of his sword and glared up at the two gods with eyes harder than steel. "_And that's all he needs!_" Almaz raised the sword in the air and the blaze of aura began to spiral around him, building up into a tower of light and mana above the hero.

"Crap!" Phoenix snarled, raising her spear. Before she could dive for Almaz, however, Cinos stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"No... I want to see this." he said, his eyes on Almaz. Never before had he seen such an expression of anger and rage on the hero's face. It was unnatural... "That sword is affecting the hero... I think it's actually influencing his very heart..."

"Yeah, well, he's entitled to it," the spear goddess snarled. "That sword... it stinks with the corruption of Koba's killer!"

That surprised Cinos, but it was also the final piece in the puzzle. "No... It's not," the Scion muttered, comprehension dawning. "Fuelled by anger, that's a common trait of cursed and demonic weapons, but fuel by confidence as well? By bravery at one moment, and rage in the next? There's no doubt," Cinos said, shaking his head. "It's not a demonic god killer. It's... He's an Item God. The first Item God," Cinos said, pushing past her.

"W-what?" Phoenix shrieked. "You mean that thing is – !"

"Koba!" Cinos shouted, a wide eerie smile on the staff god's face as he greeted Monty. "It's been so long! We thought you were dead, but really, you've just twisted yourself to survive, haven't you? I'm going to have to revise my scenario..."

"Koba?_!_" Phoenix stared at the black blade. "Kobayashi?_!_" She then looked at the tower of aura the dark sword and his wielder were creating, stretching like a sword in the sky. "Of course... the aura... your true form...!"

"_They're talking again_," Monty snarled. "_I'd tell them to piss off, but they'd probably consider that 'swearing to god'. Let's shut them up, __**shall we?**_"

Almaz grunted in agreement, forcing all his anger and refusal to believe the sorcerer into Monty. The sword then took those very feeling and threw them out into the world as his blazing aura, the tangible force of Almaz's wishes and desires.

The sabre of light pulsed and shot up towards the moon, a flare in the night that burnt up the dark air over the castle and scattered final dregs of the fake Zenon's curse. The clouds wrapped themselves around the blade of light as it continued its journey into the sky, a blasting zone reaching to the stars.

* * *

Over across the plateau, Rozalin, Adell and Tav's battle burst from warp-space, heat and light searing through in an attempt to swallow the true world as well. The God hit the ground, covered in burns and welts, but he pushed himself up, defiance in his glare.

"How is this..." he wheezed, his blank eyes narrowing at the hunter. "This is... beyond the potential I saw in you..."

"That so? Hey, that's just my style," Adell laughed, feeling the rush of Rozalin's mana flowing through his veins, numbing even the pain of his broken arm. But the battle ground to a halt as they felt the waves of energy radiating from the plateau, and they stared at the sword of light roaring up into the sky.

"Kobayashi!" Tav gasped. Reeling around, he looked at Zenon, then back at the pillar of light. He was weakened, if the fight continued he knew he was not guaranteed a victory. But... "If he still lives..." the god of gauntlets whispered, and dived away from his battle towards the light.

"**What manner of power could that be?**" Zenon asked, her eyes glued to the pillar in the sky.

"Dimension Thrust... no, this is on another level," Adell gasped.

* * *

Cinos grinned at the display, not even flinching in the face of the blinding light. Phoenix gripped her spear, focusing her power to try to build up a counter-attack in preparation as Cinos looked at Monty again.

"You work fast, don't you, Koba?" the sorcerer said. "Already teaching the power of rage to a boy that has only ever fought with resolve!"

Almaz glared at him, and the hero's anger lashed out in a wave of force, aura buffeting over Cinos and Phoenix. The sorcerer was unperturbed, dashing the storm away with a swipe of his Key. "But that's to be expected from you, isn't it?" the Scion continued, spreading his arms wide. "You, The Sword of Damocles! The Blade of Good and Evil! _The Yoshitsuna!_"

"How dare you!" Phoenix screamed. "How dare you betray us! Your family, Koba! How dare you turn your back on us!"

"_I'm not who you think I am, bitch!' _Monty yelled over the tornado of aura surrounding him and Almaz._ "For years I wandered, wondering who I was, but now, I've decided! You think I'm Koba? The Blade of Good and Evil? If you say I'm Yoshitsuna, then I'll be Yoshitsuna, but not the one you know! I am the sword of the Overlord Hero! I am the edge of his soul!_"

"The edge of... my soul... huh?" Almaz said through gritted teeth as he fuelled the god-blade with every drop of mana he could muster. "So... if I show you my friends? Someone to protect?"

"_Then I'll be the line in the sand_," Monty said instantly.

"If I show you my enemies?"

"_I'll be their guide to hell_," the sword replied.

Almaz looked up into the eyes of the gods before them. "And if I show you a story to end, a curtain to drop..."

"_Then it'll drop!_" laughed Monty, and together in the same beat of their hearts, they brought the pillar of light down together with a final cry, "_**End of story!**_"

Cinos' eyes widened as the attack snapped him from his awe at Koba's return, and he raised his staff for a desperate cast of Clemency.

Phoenix shrieked in outrage and dived into the light, deaf to Cinos' shouts to stop.

Tav rushed for his fellow Gods, his hands flaring with his Triple Pillars.

Zenon snatched Adell before he too could rush forward and with a single wing beat they were miles away.

And the sword of light swept across the sky, illuminating the world. The night felt sunrise to sunset, and in one stroke the Valley of Glass and Zenon's castle were gone.

...

...

... and finally the light faded, and through the haze and smoke and destruction, the Overlord Hero pulled himself to his feet. Almaz fell to one knee, completely exhausted. Looking up, he saw the destruction cut into the world, the landscape forever changed. "Wow... let's never do that again," he said, gulping down precious air.

"_Heh heh... yeah... it is pretty weak..._" Monty joked wearily in his grip. "_I guess we shouldn't bother..._"

Almaz chuckled, looking around to see if Adell and Rozalin were alright. He was sure they were, there was no way they couldn't have seen the attack coming. "So..." he wheezed, leaning on Monty. "Back in the village... you didn't tell me about you past..."

"_Because I didn't know?_" finished Monty, sounding similarly tired, at least too tired for mindgames. "_Eh, something like that..._"

Almaz nodded and hefted the black blade onto his shoulder. "So, a god, huh?" he asked, walking forward into the smoke.

"Yes, and never underestimate us, you bastard," a voice snarled, and Almaz froze as a dull pressure sunk into his chest. He looked down to see the flickering, cracked spearhead of the Flare Phoenix, sunk into his chest underneath his heart. Monty fell to the ground with a clatter, swearing violently, but Almaz could only look up at Phoenix's face.

She was burnt, ash covering her raw, bleeding skin as flames barely flickered on her shoulder in a vain attempt to heal her wounds. She was on death's door.

So was he.

"But... I..." Almaz wheezed, unable to form a thought. The Valkyrie tugged the spear out of his chest and caught him as he collapsed.

"You tried," Phoenix said shakily, gasping for air. She let go of him and he fell back onto the rocky ground, unable to move, unable to breathe as Monty yelled screamed for help.

There was a thud to his side, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Phoenix collapse beside him. "That's just how it goes, hero..." she said, her eyes glazing over. "You either live fighting... or die trying... we've done both."

'_There's a hole in the sky...'_ Almaz thought through the haze, looking into the gap he and Monty had forged in the cursed clouds. The stars were... so different here... but..._ 'I can see... Rhodonite... it's so far... are you safe... Sapphire?'_

Then, nothing.

* * *

Sapphire stood at the podium, and opened her mouth to address the Council when she felt something that made her freeze. An echo... a scant wave of something horribly familiar passing though her. She glanced at Mir, who was frowning slightly, as if someone had walked over her grave.

But for Sapphire, it was greater. She felt it... something so familiar, shiny and warm and dying...

Almaz flashed through her mind. Something was wrong. Almaz was...

She saw him die before. She knew that feeling. Only now did she realise she could recognise it.

Almaz was...

* * *

_Chapter 21 – End – _

* * *

Varanotes: She _did_ say 'if it's the last thing I do'...

The name 'Koba' was a reference to Kobayashi Yoshitsuna. He's one of the lead directors in the Disgaea games, the ultimate swords usually being named after him.

Thanks to parody'r'us, The Ansem Man, Rabid Original, NightmareSyndrom, Insanity Lord, Moonlit wave, Overlord Mao, chocochipcookie-chan130, faaairyfairy, Renuki, Vehrec, Mereo Flare and The Genius Mage Divine Wolfe for your reviews and thoughts!

I was going to post on Friday, but didn't want people thinking the cliffie was a joke. It most certainly aint. Plus, it gave me a chance to add about 50% more to Zenon's fight - like the proposal (the fact that the timing is really bad is not lost on either of them, I assure you). Here's hoping that my vision of Zenon, as a hidden part of Rozalin rather than a split personality, didn't disappoint.

Thanks for reading, tell me what you thought!

Until next time,

-Varanus


	22. Before the Dawn

**Fail to the King!**

* * *

_Chapter 22 – Before the Dawn_

* * *

A pillar of light shot up from Zenon's Tower, and the massive dragon, Lee Shang-Long, paused in his search for his elusive enemies to give it a wary glance, just in case it proved dangerous.

That was the beast's first mistake. Aria leaped through the air, picking out her target with a sharp eye. Not that it was difficult to spot the massive dragon that was now snapping at Yukimaru below, but this needed to be timed perfectly. Focusing her mana, she let it out in a spiralling bust, summoning up a tornado around herself in a modified Divine Storm – instead of dragging the enemy into the whirlwind, she dragged the whirlwind down onto it, crashing the spiral gales onto the dragon.

It lurched under the onslaught of wind but remained rooted in its place, refusing to be taken by the cyclone. However, its skin began to rapidly cool and harden just as the kunoichi had planned, the winds robbing the dragon of its heat.

"Yukimaru!" Aria yelled over the gale, and the snow nin rushed in, splitting into multiple snow copies, each one armed with an ice-coated dagger. Diving for the dragon –

Without warning, the pillar crashed down on the valley.

Light enveloped the world. Sound and shockwaves shook Veldime, and neither Yukimaru nor Aria could tell which direction was up or down in the midst of the storm of mana and force –

And suddenly it was over.

"Ugh..." Yukimaru groaned, pulling herself from a pulverised pile of stone and crystal. "Miss Aria? Did you make it, zam?" the snow nin croaked, fearful for her companion.

She breathed a sigh of relief to see a spear poke out of a crushed mound of crystal as Almaz's vassal pushed herself to her feet. "Something's wrong..." Aria muttered, dread in her voice.

"Excellent observation, zam," Yukimaru groaned, She had gravel and dust in places she wasn't aware she had, which was worrying for a kunoichi with as much self-awareness as herself. She would have been happier _without_ the knowledge something could reach that deep... she made a mental note not to inform Fubuki of this, the potential hidden weaponry applications be damned.

"I'm not talking about the explosion..." Aria said, her voice rising from panic. "That was Lord Almaz, I could tell! Him and that sword! But... his aura cut out immediately afterwards!"

"Hmm..." Yukimaru frowned, deep in thought. "What could that mean, zam?"

"I-I don't..." began Aria, but then a memory surfaced.

_As they arrived at the human world gateway, most of the vassals kept their distance as they protected the perimeter. Still, Aria happened to glance back, worried about Mao's erratic actions. As such, she noticed Almaz wheezing his last breath. _

"_I wanted... to become... a hero... but even more so, Mao... to be... your... fri... en-" _

_Almaz collapsed, succumbing to the deadly curse he had been hiding for the entire journey._

"_Huh. So the curse finally got him?" Aria frowned, seeing her employers shake the human, desperately trying to wake him up. She turned away from the scene, going back on guard for enemies. "Poor guy."_

"He can't... he promised he wouldn't..." Aria said to herself, before turning to Yukimaru franticly. "Heroes are supposed to prize promises and things, aren't they?"

"Tell me what's wrong, zam," Yukimaru said steadily.

"We need to go back!" Aria insisted. "Lord Almaz is in trouble, I think he could be..."

The debris around them shifted, glowing red-hot, and the rock and glass melted and fell away as a mountain of fire rose before them, trapping them in a ring of magma like a cobra cornering its prey.

"No! It survived?" Aria gasped as the dragon of Tera Fire towered above them, giving them no angle to escape.

Lee Shang-Long glared at them with seething contempt and opened its maw, spewing a torrent of fire onto the trapped ninjas. Mercilessly, the serpent heated the intensity of the flames, and all-consuming fire spilled out of the ring of his coiled body, spreading to the wasteland around.

Finally, the serpent relented, watching the smoke steadily until it cleared, nothing but shattered rock and glazed, blasted earth left. Satisfied with its kill, the dragon reared forwards and dived into the portal, dragging its whole body through until it arrived on the other side.

It spotted Holt Village in the distance and roared, setting the countryside ablaze as it made its way towards its target.

* * *

Dust clouds violently churned around the blasted site of the former castle of Zenon, the debris radiating heat and buzzing bursts of electricity in the wake of the Yoshitsuna's attack. Other the sound of rock settling and that hum of power, there was silence... which was broken as the rubble shifted and was shoved aside by a force beneath.

From the ruins, Tav emerged, hurling the massive limestone slabs away like balls of paper behind him. Cinos followed, dropping the shield spell he had used to create a temporary shelter from the rockslide, letting that hollow space they had occupied collapse in on itself.

Tav marched forward, glaring around in search for Phoenix and the hero who bore Koba's power, a deep frown etched upon his features. Cinos remained silent, organising his thoughts.

His Clemency, his peerless shield technique, had held for only a moment before crumbling like the walls of a sandcastle. Phoenix must have known defence was useless in the face of Koba's attack and charged right in, trying to end it before the boy had a chance to land the attack.

'_Where is she?'_ he thought, an alien urgency jolting through him. He saw Tav flex his hands and flinch slightly, drops of red dripping from them. "You're injured..." Cinos said, surprised he hadn't noticed it sooner.

"Of course I am. Even the Hands of Infinity are cut when they raise themselves against the Sword of Damocles," Tav shrugged, his voice carrying a strange note of... respect? Pride? Cinos couldn't place it, which worried him for a strange reason - Etem had never quite accepted Koba's position at the head of the pantheon.

"You don't seem upset about it," he noted, sending a rush of mana in the shape of a healing spell towards his fellow god.

Tav massaged his hands as they healed, looking at the faintly glowing tattoos that represented the Cosmo Infinity. "Why should I be? Koba is alive. Not only that, I was able to match him." He flexed his fingers, three lines glowing on his palm. "My 'Three Pillars' managed to withstand that assault. I'm sure if the ground hadn't given way I would even have been able to repel it."

"Hmm... still so envious of the First God's power?" Cinos said idly, scanning around the ruined land.

Tav glared at him. "I was the first," he said warningly.

Cinos ignored the God of Fist's tone, pushing past him. "First born, perhaps. But when the people think of a weapon, they think of a sword. He was the first to transcend mere utility and become something more... a symbol. A god."

Tav frowned at the words. They were biting, but he could tell Cinos' heart wasn't in it. "Where are you going?"

"To find Phoenix," Cinos replied, almost distractedly as he focused his mana senses, trying to pick her out amidst the storm of dust and mana still swirling around them... but he couldn't sense a thing; a sinking feeling told him that it wasn't due to the interfering mana in the air. "She tried to charge the boy and Koba. I..." He shook his head and marched into the dust.

Tav kept his eyes steadily on his back for a few moments, then glanced warily around, sensing Zenon's presence lingering in the area. '_So, she escaped the blast...'_ Still, even his poorer mana sense could tell Zenon was some distance away, likely having bolted as fast as possible from the area. Instead of pursuing her, Tav followed Cinos, deciding it was best to regroup in order to figure out how to react to Koba's mysterious return.

"Cinos. How could he be alive?" Tav called after the sorcerer god, seeing him crouched down a short distance away. When he got no reply, the brawler frowned. "Cinos, are you..." Words died in his mouth as the dust cleared, revealing what had stolen the sorcerer's attention.

He had found Phoenix.

She was curled up almost like a cat, appearing almost peaceful were it not for the streaks of ash and blood staining her body, signs of her flames' failure to heal her injuries. The Flare Phoenix lay in her arms, its spearhead dim and cracked as its light flickered close to death.

Cinos felt a choking feeling in his chest seeing her like that and rushed to her side, lifting her up to cradle her in order to get a better view of her wounds. She mumbled something, weak but victorious. "I got him..."

Cinos looked up to see the form of Almaz, sightless eyes staring up into the sky. The Yoshitsuna lay to his side, Koba – or at least the being who _used_ to be Koba – desperately flexed his aura, trying in vain to reach the still hero. "Indeed... but not before he got you."

He raised his hand, mustering up healing energies as quickly as he could, but Phoenix reached up and curled her shaky hand, grazing his cheek. "Look at it this way... now you won't have to feel guilty..."

Cinos' blood ran cold at her words. "What do you kn... Phoenix, what do you mean?"

"Careful... your mask is slipping..." she smirked sadly, closing her eyes as the light in the Flare Phoenix dying out completely. Her skin began to glow in points, bursting into small, spluttering flames as her body began to dissolve into smoke. "See ya next cycle..." she sighed, her body fading into ashes and dust. Cinos snapped out of his shock and moved, about to yell her name, but froze as he saw it was too late. All that was left of her in his arms was her cracked, dead spear, and for eternal moment his ever turning mind was blank and silent, staring at that lifeless weapon in his hand.

He looked at the body of the hero, feeling a weak sliver of life remaining inside him. Phoenix had missed his heart, and now he was bleeding out. Cinos' hand instinctively twitched, the beginnings of the green glow of an Omega Heal flickering into life in his palm, but the sorcerer caught himself at the last moment and clenched his fist. "No. The time for pity is over." He rose, lifting the Flare Phoenix gently up as his own staff disappeared in a blink of light. His gaze moved from the still boy to the black blade he had carried, the true perpetrator of the attack.

"Tell me, Koba. Do you still consider yourself a king among mortals? A Precursor among gods?" he asked, his bored drawl sounding noticeably forced. "Do you still consider yourself peerless, even though you've fallen so far? I hope you do. Tell me you do, because then..." He twirled the Flare Phoenix so her spearhead hovered over the blade. "Then... she could kill you. One stab, and she... I could kill you. You would be burnt out of this world and what would emerge from your ashes... well, it wouldn't be you anymore, would it?"

The runes on the flat of the blade twisted as if Monty was narrowing his eyes, then smirked. "_Yeah? Like your spear bitch is about to demonstrate, am I right?_"

The blade had expected to strike a nerve, but Cinos only smirked humourlessly. "Wrong," he said, "Dead wrong." He raised the Flare Phoenix sharply up, but his arm was caught before he could bring it down. He turned and glared at Tav, but let his arm go limp anyway, resting the god-spear to his side and glaring back at the sword. "Fine. I think this is more suitable. Lying in the dirt, forgotten. It suits you, Koba." Without another word, the sorcerer vanished, teleporting away.

"_Bastard! Get back here!_" Monty yelled into the air, then noticed the attention he was drawing from the God of Gauntlets.

"You were the armoured opponent I faced in the outskirts of Holt?" Tav asked, narrowing his eyes at the eerily familiar blade of Kobayashi. It was almost like he remembered it, but covered in an unnatural coat of black rust, so thick it nearly obscured the glowing runes on its side.

Koba... it was still Koba... but warped. No wonder none of them had recognised it before, marked as he was with the taint of his supposed killer. Perhaps the boy was better off dead than wielding such a weapon...

The runes on the flat of Monty's blade twisted, appearing like sneering face. "_What? Didn't get enough last time? Well, why don't you knock me over into the kid's hand there and we'll settle the score, huh?_"

"As if," Tav scoffed, kicking the sword and sending it clattering away from Almaz's body. He knew what that taint could do to even a dead shell like the young hero. "I don't know what you've become, Koba, but we'll deal with it on _our_ terms." Without paying even a second glance to the outraged blade, he slipped away with Wanderlust, fading into a clearing where he spotted Cinos staring blankly at the Flare Phoenix.

"It... It shouldn't have been her," Cinos was muttering to himself. "She shouldn't have dived in..." He flexed his hands, sending a glow onto the spear, and after a few seconds of fruitless waiting he exhaled harshly, cupping a hand anxiously over his mouth. "Something's wrong. She's... Why isn't it...?"

"Is that remorse you feel?" Tav asked sharply, rage building. Another god had died while he was idle, and though Phoenix was not nearly as close to his heart as Etoile had been, sorrow was still quick to gouge at him. And like Etoile before her, he knew exactly where to place the blame for The Avenger's passing. "Have you finally realised these games cost people lives?"

"Hypocrite," came Cinos' voice, sharp and dead.

Tav leered at the sorcerer. "What?"

"I said you're a hypocrite," he said, rising and turning to lock red eyes with Tav's blank ones. "You talk about my games costing lives as if you are some virtuous being. You're not. You don't care about a single damn being beyond yourself. If you actually believed the words you spoke, you would have ignored Zenon and stopped me from summoning Lee Shang-Long down onto that village." He shook his head, disgusted, and turned back to the god-spear stabbed in the ground. "But you allowed it to happen. For your revenge. So you could finally cut the one string that was stopping you from moving on."

Tav snarled, his temper straining to breaking point. Gripping the sorcerer's shoulder, Tav spun him around to bring them face-to-face. "How dare you!" Tav snapped. _Everything_, from the village to this disastrous hunt had been Cinos' machinations, and yet he had the gall to... "This was about more than me! I had to take that chance! To end Zenon, despite what I felt about anything else! She is a being which will inevitably cause destruction around herself!"

"Keep telling yourself that. Keep ignoring your own involvement in this," Cinos said plainly, his eyes glancing back at Phoenix's spear.

Tav caught the look, and grimaced. "So now you feel it, huh... what I felt?"

"Nothing of the sort," Cinos said harshly. "It was necessary... all of this was necessary," he said, spreading his arms wide, though his posture slouched as he turned to the cracked, lifeless spear in the ground. "But... why wasn't it you, instead?"

"Was that part of the plan? For a god to die here, one way or another?" Tav scowled and shook his head. It should have surprised him, he knew, but it didn't. He was too tired to be surprised. "What's your next plan? Do you even have one? Because I'd love to hear it. I'd love to hear how you can make up for this." His white eyes narrowed. "At least I can see now... I can see now why the Artisan and the Envoy didn't answer your call. You've changed worse than Koba has. And now... another one of us has died. Just like Koba was lost... like he may be lost, Phoenix is gone, and it was _your doing. _So tell me, Cinos," Tav snarled accusingly. "For all your plans, for all your manipulations, did you plan for _this!_"

Cinos placed the broken Flare Phoenix lightly on the ground and turned to Tav. He gave him a flat look... then placed his hand over his heart. "Actually, yes. I did. Remember the pact?"

Tav's eyes widened in shock as Cinos twisted his hand, disappearing in a flare of light, but the God of Fists didn't have a chance to try and follow as a piercing, unbearable pain stabbed through him, like his heart was splitting in two.

* * *

Four minutes thirty two seconds after first... 'appealing' the Gateway bill, Jericho strolled out of the Dark Assembly with a wide grin on his face. "Well, what do you know?" he chuckled. "Unanimous approval, and things have already begun on the Academy's end! Now we're going to get some _real_ reinforcement."

Caine followed behind, sighing. "Now, I ain't sayin' they didn't get what were comin' to them," he said, "But you sure as hell best hope that Tileyfa... oh, speak of the angel."

Jericho's smile froze on his face as the Holt doctor came storming up to him. Caine glanced between them and bravely slipped away, wanting nothing to do with the confrontation. "No fighting. I told you that, didn't I?" she scowled at the samurai. "You'll make your wound even worse!"

"Hey, it's – GAH!" he yelped as she poked him in the ribs. She pulled her finger back, now moist with blood.

"You've re-opened your wound," she sighed angrily. "It's no normal wound either. You were stabbed right though, gouging a hole in your torso, tearing up your right lung and shattering five ribs, as well as cooking your organs by the heat of the weapon used."

"That bad, huh?" Jericho shrugged. "On the plus side, I guess I can legitimately say 'I've had worse' after fights now. Always a plus."

"Listen to me!" the healer insisted, grabbing one of his pointed ears. "It's far beyond my ability to heal right away! If you were even in your right mind you'd know you're only at about 10 percent capacity, not 100 percent like you feel. You are running on adrenalin, held together only by your own mana, and if you don't get back in bed, you may very well die." He hands hummed with healing power and she began a quick patch-up. "If that Valkyrie had stuck your heart, you would be dead. I'm surprised she didn't go for a sure kill shot as is."

"She was aiming for..." Jericho sighed, not really wanting to talk about his heroic sacrifice – it was embarrassing enough as is. "She was going for the Overlord. I pushed him out of the way."

"Hm? I was under the impression you didn't like the current Overlord?" Tileyfa asked idly. "And yet you'd risk your life in order to preserve his at even a moment's notice?"

"Yeah," Jericho said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. To a samurai, it would be. "Besides, it was worth it," he added, raising a finger to hush her before she could shout at him again. "Look, I got a hold of Master Big Star, so we'll be able to open up a gate to the Academy in no time. He said he's even got the freshman class leader Mao to help. They're trying to connect now, so all we have to do is sit back and wait for reinforcements to come and help _both_ our Overlords, God or otherwise."

"That simple, hmm?" Tileyfa sighed. Summoning up the mana for an Omega Heal, she placed her glowing palms on Jericho's wound, sending the healing energies into him. "Fine then. But no more fighting. Doctor's orders, I mean it. Our contract isn't worth your life."

Without warning, a burst of light swept across the sky, followed by a tremor that nearly knocked both of them off their feet. "What in the world?" Tileyfa gasped.

Jericho opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a feeling of dread running though him, an overpowering mana presence approaching. "What –?" he muttered, craning around – then he saw it. On the horizon, a bright glow that was not sunrise, and an unmistakable feeling of sweltering mana.

Jericho remembered a day, early on in his life, before the Academy, when he had participated in a raid of a pirate base. He was barely a hundred then, cocky and ignorant of his calling. Like any demon, he had lived life as it was handed to him rather than take it for himself and relished the chance for battle, to flaunt his meagre strength.

It was a routine plan – Step One, crash in, kill everything inside. Step Two, steal everything that wasn't nailed down. Step Three, steal the nails. He was a little sketchy about Step Four, but Step Five was supposed to be pure profit. The only thing different was that the pirates had apparently cracked open a lava flow for a dragon in return for its services as a guard.

No big deal, he had fought dragons before, right?

How were they supposed to know the pirates had made a deal with a child of Echidna?

He didn't remember much. Fire. A handful of lucky survivors. Burns which only faded after he had transmigrated, and even then his mind conjured the scars as shadows over his skin for hundreds of years after. It had instilled the demon with something rare for his kind – a fear of death. And when demons were afraid, if they were truly demons, they fought, and got stronger. For that, Jericho supposed he owed the beast.

But the fires had haunted him for lifetimes regardless. And even now, thousands of years later, it seemed he could still recognise them.

They were coming for Holt.

"... It's him..." he gasped.

Tileyfa had only now sensed the presence, which was enough to make her stumble back in fear. "What is that?_!_"

Jericho turned to face her. "Get back into the Dark Assembly and tell them to hurry up, we need reinforcements right away. Contact Master Big Star, you got that?"

She nodded, and he turned to run towards the burning horizon. "I said no fighting!" Tileyfa called after him, knowing how useless her words were. "Samurai are supposed to be good at following orders!"

"That's because we know what orders need to be followed," Jericho muttered under his breath grimly.

But as he ran for the burning horizon, only one thought held sway in the samurai's mind.

'_It's him. It's him. It's _him_.'_

* * *

Sapphire was frozen at the podium, unable to move. Her father watched her closely from his seat at the head of the table as the senators began to murmur between themselves.

"Your highness?" Mir asked her, concern mixed with uneasiness in her voice.

"You felt it too, didn't you?" Schrodinger asked his daughter. Sapphire turned her head to look at him, a fear he had never before seen her wear in her eyes. He was momentarily taken aback, then nodded half to himself. "I see. This is a bad omen. I'm afraid this meeting will have to be postponed indefinitely…"

The senators erupted in complaint, and Vincent stood. "Your Majesty, the princess has just returned from the Netherworld, she could have information vital to the safety of the kingdom. It can't be delayed for an omen!"

The king nodded, taking in the complaint. "I understand your position, Lt Burgundy, and it is commendable, but something dark has just occurred. There is a cataclysm taking place nearby-"

The senators burst into shouts of outrage and fear.

"Are we under attack?"

"Where did it come from?"

"Calm down," the king's voice cut through the air, silencing them. "I doubt we are in immediate danger, but we must immediately determine where and why it occurred in order to protect our kingdom."

"Veldime," Sapphire breathed. "It came from Veldime, and…"

Mir shot from her seat. "W-what?"

Schrodinger glanced at the two women, and then looked at Captain Destone. "You're an astronomer, aren't you?"

"In my spare time, but nothing unusual has occurred in Veldime to my memory in the last few years," the old captain replied.

"Where is it now!" Sapphire demanded. Destone paused with a bit of surprise, then rose and made his way to one of the wide windows.

"At this time of day, it would be…" His voice dried up as words failed him when he looked into the sky.

Sapphire rushed over to him and looked up, searching for Veldime. That late in the day, it should have been invisible in the morning sky, but she spotted it in an instant, a bright point of light floating in space. The pinprick of light flared up brightly… then vanished.

"Veldime is… roughly one or two light minutes away from us…" Destone said, trying to figure out the timeframe.

But Sapphire didn't hear him, because the last of Almaz's presence in the pulse of mana that had stretched all the way to his home planet had vanished. It didn't fade, it spiked violently and then flatlined. "No…" Sapphire gasped, almost falling to her knees. "No, no, no, no…"

"Princess… Princess what happened?" Mir asked, barely composing herself in the face of her mounting fears.

'_What could this mean?_' Schrodinger asked himself as he made his way to his daughter, a frown growing on his face.

There was a frantic knocking on the door, and Captain Destone moved to open it. Before he could reach it, the doors burst open and a guard rushed in, his face plastered with fear. He skidded to a halt, paling as he came face to face with the Captain of the Guard.

"What is the emergency?" Destone asked, glancing at the badges on the specialist officer. For him to be in such a panic…

"Your Majesty!" the soldier saluted with restrained panic in his voice, turning to the king. "Pandora, she… she requests an audience!"

Schrodinger's eyes widened with shock and he turned to the door immediately. "Captain Destone, Lieutenant Burgundy, come with me. Mir, take my daughter back to her chambers and see to her. The rest of you are dismissed." The secretary nodded absently, looking from the faded spot in the sky to the frozen Sapphire, while the senators stared at the King as Vincent and Destone flanked him, leaving the room.

Only when the senators noisily rose from their seats did Sapphire snap out of her frozen panic, looking up into Mir's worried eyes.

"What happened?" Almaz's mother whispered urgently. "What happened in Veldime?"

"I don't... I can't tell," Sapphire said, embellishing the truth for both their sakes. "It was too sudden. But it was something bad, and Almaz... he's in the middle of it." She glanced around quickly. "Where is my father?

"He, the captain and the lieutenant already left. They said something about an audience with a 'Pandora'," Mir answered.

"Pandora... of course! Pandora!" Sapphire exclaimed, her eyes beaming with renewed hope. She rose to her feet and bolted out of the room before Mir could get any answers from her.

Not far down the hall, Lieutenant Burgundy was becoming worried about this mysterious red alert. "Captain, might I know... who exactly is 'Pandora'?" he asked.

"It's a code, a highly classified one," Destone answered. "Before your promotion, you weren't qualified to know it."

Vincent bowed his head. "Then it is an honour, but what does it mean?"

The king gave him a level look out of the corner of his eye. "It means the weapon that ravaged our lands over a century before, the weapon that took the combined might of Super Hero Aurum, the royal family and the power of heaven itself to combat," Schrodinger replied darkly. "The Invincible has awoken."

* * *

Phoenix opened her eyes to the sounds of screams. Pulling herself to her feet, she tested her wounds and found none. Frowning, she looked around and realised she was inside her heart, in the very centre of her iron city. But it barely resembled her city now, the lights of the fires were dimmed and choked, and her metal skyscrapers were collapsing as far as her eye could see, plummeting onto the Phantoms who populated her heart.

"So... this is death?" Phoenix asked. The pandemonium around her was the only answer she got as she watched her Phantoms scramble around for a way to escape the city that was quickly becoming a ruin. Phoenix was annoyed just looking at them, running around like headless chickens instead of the warriors and martyrs they were supposed to be.

"What the hell?" she yelled into the dark, empty sky, at that tiny glimmer far away. "I'm just going to die? Without a scream? Without a fanfare?" She held up her hand, and her world split like a hole was ripped into the air. She shoved her hand into the void and pulled out her burning spear, her true form, holding it defiantly in the air to spite her collapsing heart.

_**Remember Us and Weep, Though We Are Forgotten and Broken,**_

_**Save Us and Guide Our Hearts Through the Path of Justice,**_

_**Rise, Rise, Rise, and Fly, O Beloved of the Unloved,**_

_**O Flare Phoenix**_

"**I Am A God**," she snarled, her voice resonating with power. "**The Flare Phoenix, Spear of The Avenger. I Fight For the Fallen. For The Forgotten. For The Unavenged. I Demand My Due.**"

"Heh, well, ask and ye shall receive, that's what Virtuous always says," a slick voice chuckled behind her.

Phoenix sucked in a breath as she felt the being's world ending presence fill her heart, and grinned widely. "Well this is more like it," she said with an excited grin, turning to face him.

"Naturally," the being chuckled smoothly. "I mean, who better to roll out the red carpet to a god than me?"

He looked like a young man that couldn't be past his twenties, but she could feel the age and power radiating off of him. Casually dressed in a violet shirt and black slacks, he smirked at her like he didn't even know she was a god, floating in the sky of her heart without invitation nor any care for her status.

But then again, why should he care? He was one of the few beings, the minority of cosmic forces that was more powerful than an Item God in her own domain.

"After all," he said casually. "I'm the maddest of the mad and the baddest of the bad.

"I'm the Killer of Kings and the Destroyer of Worlds."

He spread his wings wide and proud, leering down at her. "I am _Vigilance_, the Master of Death..." he announced, then grinned. "But hey, call me Gig. 'Sup?"

"Well well, the Master of Death himself. What brings a guy like you to these parts?" Phoenix asked, stoking her hair suggestively. "Taking in the sights?"

"Something like that," Gig said, glancing around the collapsing city and whistling. "Wow, quite a collection of souls you've got here. Makes me kinda pissed you got to them before I did."

"Well, they wanted to keep on kicking, so I obliged," Phoenix replied.

The Death Master chuckled. "Yeah, well, the funny thing is that it 'ain't up to them, and it sure as hell 'ain't up to you," Gig said, his voice becoming deadly serious. "Death is _my_ domain, and your screwing around with these poor stupid bastards has really been a thorn in my ass for millennia. I've had my eye on you for a long time, but I let it be, because I knew, sooner or later, you'd slip up and do something stupid." He swept his arm around at the dying city of her heart, and grinned darkly. "And look – here we are."

"Here we are indeed," she said, matching his grin with equal darkness and intensity, not wavering in the slightest. "But I'm not sure you'll be able to seal the deal."

"And what makes you think that?" he smirked, darkness gathering around him.

"Tradition. Don't they say you get one final challenge?" she asked with a shrug. "One last game of chess against Death himself?"

"Hate to break it to ya," Gig chuckled, flexing his wings, darkness cracking along them. "I don't play chess."

"Hate to break it to ya," the Goddess of Spears chuckled right back, whipping the Flare Phoenix out in front of her and grinning viciously. "Neither do I."

* * *

_Chapter 22 – end – _

* * *

Varanotes: It's always darkest... title drop!

So many reviews! I feel loved! Thank you Guile, Mereo Flare, Fireblast123, Moonlit Wave, Macavity Omega, parody 'r' us, Uber Prinny Lord, The Ansem Man, Renuki, Vehrec, Genius Mage Divine Wolfe, Alewar Warinot, faaairyfairy, axeloftheflame, Overlord Mao, GeneralGeneric, Mei Fire and The Last Z Fighter for your observations, comments and reactions.

Apologies for the delay getting the chapter to you alls, and I hope this one sated your appetites. As always, remember to drop a review!

Until next time,

-Varanus


	23. Gunmetal and Grace

**Fail to the King!**

* * *

_Chapter 23 – Gunmetal and Grace_

* * *

Without fanfare, King Schrodinger and his entourage of Captain Destone and Lieutenant Vincent climbed the stairs of the High Tower. It was here that the greatest secrets and hidden histories of the kingdom were rumoured to be kept, if the stories Vincent had heard were true. Apparently, they weren't – it was quickly becoming clear that only _one_ thing was contained in famous windowless tower at the centre of the castle.

Vincent shuddered to imagine that this weapon of legend had been enshrined right in the centre of the capital. "Why store it in the sky? Shouldn't it be buried in a vault somewhere?" he asked as they climbed the stairs, having passed the many checkpoints manned with nervous guards on the way up.

Schrodinger shook his head. "In the wake of the war, it was decided to safeguard the Invincible in the tallest tower of the castle for a multitude of reasons. To deter thieves who fancy themselves deserving of wielding a god's weapon, for one. To ensure that a member of the royal family or a sufficiently powerful hero is on hand in case they found themselves in our shoes was another reason, but personally I believe that they did it for an _unspoken_ reason." The king sighed, a worried air descending upon the group. "So that if worst came to worst, she would simply break out of the tower and fly into space, sparing us."

"T-that's our failsafe?" the lieutenant gasped in shock.

"No," the king shook his head as they reached the landing at the top of the tower. "It's a final desperate hope. Still, I doubt things are quite so grim. I've spoken with her, and I believe she has changed in the past few decades."

'_Spoken…?'_ Vincent frowned as the king went silent, staring at the gilded doors that barred the way to the Invincible's chamber.

"Will you need your sword, my lord?" Destone asked.

Schrodinger shook his head. "No, Captain. That will not be necessary," he replied, pushing the huge double-doors open and striding into the chamber.

He found himself staring into the glowing barrel of a massive cannon aimed point-blank at his face. Vincent and Destone recoiled in shock, leaping back for some space, for all the good it would do them in the narrow corridor, while the king merely raised an eyebrow and looked past it.

The cannon surged with energy, filling the room with a violent buzz of sound and sparks, shadows dancing from the dread glow of the weapon. Schrodinger narrowed his eyes and spotted the wielder, at the trigger of the weapon. Shouldering the massive gun on her light frame was a woman whose skin shimmered like the reflection of light on water, her bright eyes lit with fury and her expression pained.

There was something amiss in that expression, Schrodinger could tell. Something was terribly wrong… beyond the country-destroying weapon aimed between his eyes, of course.

"**King Schrodinger!**" the woman screamed, her voice carrying through the hum of the silver cannon, resonating with it. "**Little Human, you dare Imprison a God! Awake, finally Fully Awake I Am, and your Foolishness makes my Heart burst with Rage! Now Choose who Pays the Price for your Arrogance! Your Life, or the Life of your Kingdom!**"

"If the choice is between my death or my kingdom, I choose death," King Rhodonite said simply.

The woman smirked grimly, her finger flexing on the almost comically small trigger of the colossal weapon of mass destruction homed on the king. "**A Wise choice, Little Human. Any Final Words?**"

"Nothing comes to mind," Schrodinger admitted, stepping forward and gripping the barrel of the cannon. With barely a heave, he shoved it aside and strode inside the goddess' guard before she could recover her balance. "At least, not today," he said, rearing back a fist. "And not to a prisoner who forgets _who her jailer truly is!"_

His fist struck her flat on the cheek and sent her skidding backwards from the force of it, dropping the cannon with a massive thud that shook the chamber. Vincent gaped in shock as he watched his king stride forward to the shimmering woman, glaring unwaveringly at her.

"Well, Pandora?" he asked. "Do you remember now? Do you remember your jailer?"

The woman flickered in the light, her hand clutching at her chest over her heart. She was breathing heavily, piercing red eyes glancing around franticly before finally settling on her cannon, lying inert to the side of the chamber. She dragged a breath, a sharp hiss, before letting it out in a sigh. The cannon lurched and rose into the air with a pulse of mana, flying back to the woman who caught it and rested it on her shoulder like it weighed nothing.

"**Y**eah… **I** **r**emember **n**ow," Pandora said, the vibrations and energy in the air draining to a faint hum as she looked at her reflection in the highly polished surface of the cannon. "I am the prisoner. I am the jailer."

The cannon lurched again and toppled over as the woman disappeared in a burst of light. It hit the ground with a thud and began to collapse in on itself, panels sinking into hidden dimensions and components retracting and shrinking as the giant web of metal and mana compacted itself into a smaller form. Before it even had a chance to settle fully on the ground, its transformation was complete – where the massive cannon of the Invincible should have been lying was, instead, a simple gunmetal briefcase.

Schrodinger stepped forward and picked it up with both hands, treating it with the care and respect of an old friend. Destone turned, tapping a keypad on the wall, and a metal platform rose in the floor, forming a worktop the king placed the briefcase upon.

"Lieutenant Vincent Burgundy, I present to you… Pandora's Box," Schrodinger said, his words carrying a tone of grave importance. Sliding his hand over the latches, the legendary case opened with a breath, light streaming from it, as if straining to be released.

Vincent found himself arching forward into that blinding light to see, even a moment sooner, what was contained within. As the king continued his introduction, the light from the case died as he opened it fully. "And this… is the Invincible." There were was a jet-black pistol nestled inside, its dark lustre carrying a heavy feeling of omen and resolve.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" someone asked.

Vincent's mouth was dry as he nodded, barely registering the voice. "Y-yes, indeed," he managed to say, at a loss for words. He could _feel_ the power from this simple weapon, and found himself believing the legends once more.

"But now that she's awake… she can't be kept here," the voice said, and a woman strode forward, shutting the case abruptly. Vincent looked at the woman, who was dressed in a white guard coat with an emblem on the shoulder marking her as one of the Tower guards. She tucked the briefcase beneath her arm and saluted sharply to the three men. "Sirs! Now transferring Rhodonite God-Weapon Zero-One, Invincible, to a secure location!" She turned abruptly on her heels and marched towards the doorway.

Vincent nodded to her as she passed, but King Schrodinger swiftly stepped forward, putting a restraining hand on the guardswoman's shoulders. "Nice try, Pandora."

The woman froze, before sighing dejectedly. "Ah well, worth a shot," she chuckled. "You know I have to at least chance these things," she sighed, handing the case back to the king, who gave it to Destone without a word. Glancing in Vincent's direction, she winked. "You're not too tough to string along, are you?" she asked humorously.

Vincent suppressed a gasp as he realised it was the same lustrous woman from moments before. Her skin was no longer glowing, but it was pale and white as if the sun had never touched it and her eyes danced with amusement and confidence behind her black bangs. Her coat exactly mirrored that of a Tower guard, but the uniform underneath was not standard issue... far from it. He blushed slightly and looked away – the woman seemed to be wearing barely anything other than a black bikini top underneath the coat, as well a matching pair of black shorts and boots that reached her knees.

As the captain of the guard placed the briefcase back onto its steel pedestal, Schrodinger gave the woman a worried look. "I see you're back to normal again... what happened to you?"

"I don't know…" the unlikely goddess replied. "It felt like my heart was splitting. For a moment, I had forgotten what it was like to be me… and remembered what it was like to be the former me. Not much fun…" she mused, and looked the king with an unreadable expression, which quickly morphed into an impish smirk. "Thanks for the reminder, Wing-Ding!"

Schrodinger groaned and massaged his temples. "That nickname was cute when I was eight, Pan, and it quickly grew old. Treat me with some dignity, I _am_ a king now."

"Whatever, you love it," she chuckled, as Destone breathed a deep sigh of relief, and Vincent stared in blank shock at the scene, only able to decipher that somehow the situation had defused… but how, he couldn't make heads or tails of.

'_Is she… a demon?'_ he thought, his mind searching for an answer to the shimmering woman in front of him. _'Or is she really a god? Is she truly the one who ravaged the country two hundred years ago?'_

"For the sake of foresight, will there be a repeat of today?" Destone asked.

"I don't know! I told you I don't..." Pandora trailed off, as she remembered what she had heard a moment before that piercing agony she lost herself in.

"_Remember the pact?"_

Pandora closed her eyes and breathed in sharply as she remembered that voice. It could only have been Cinos, but it sounded so different from the man she remembered, the man she had last seen two hundred years ago. He sounded... dead. "... I think I know what happened. I'll be ready next time," she said quietly.

"Are you sure?" Schrodinger asked, his tone carrying a note of worry for her sake.

The goddess simply shrugged. "As sure as I can be." And with that, the inquiry was done. Both she and the king knew there were no more answers to be found in the High Tower. Turning, she looked at Vincent with a grin and a glint in her eye. "So, this is the new guy, huh?" She smirked at him, waiting for a reply.

The lieutenant glanced unsurely at his captain, who nodded reassuringly. "Lieutenant Vincent Burgundy, madam," he said, saluting. He wasn't quite sure what the protocol was in the situation, but he figured treating a supposed god and anthropomorphic super-weapon with respect was a good way to err on the side of caution.

She smirked, finding his manner amusing. "Well met, Lieutenant Vincent Burgundy Madam," she bowed dramatically, before pulling herself up to her full stature. Though she was barely five feet four tall, it felt like she towered over the three men. "I am The Invincible Pandora, the Arsenal of The Artisan."

* * *

A meadow of flowers, stretching as far as the horizon, was spread out before Aurum. In the distance, he could see the path lead to a white temple, built from gleaming marble like an ancient Roman amphitheatre, and this was his destination as he found himself walking the pathways of Celestia in the strangest of company.

At his left was Seraph Lamington, observing the swaying of the flowers in the warm breeze. On his right was the strange demon, Vyers, who seemed equally at peace in this world of angels – what's more, the few angels floating by did not even bat an eyelid at him. Few stopped to greet the self-proclaimed Dark Adonis, but after a while Aurum started to suspect it was less to do with the flamboyant demon's blood and more to do with his overdramatic, frankly unsettling declarations made whenever someone unfamiliar approached.

He seemed to have a complex about making sure people knew precisely what his name was. Aurum filed that thought away for future consideration, in case it could become useful in a plan one day. He knew he should really stop doing that, but he couldn't help it. Futile or no, two-hundred years of meticulous plotting built certain habits.

The Fallen Hero cleared his throat. "Your Providence, Seraph Lamington..." he began, only to be interrupted by the High angel's light laughter.

"My, my, is that how they are referring to me these days?" he chuckled. "It seems like they come up with a new title every few years. Your Divinity, Your Grand Grace, Your Sovereign..." he sighed merrily. "I am sorry for interrupting, but the thought just struck me there."

"At least 'Providence' isn't too outrageous," chuckled Vyers. "Don't you agree... 'Your Ultra-Holitudedness'?"

"I remember that!" the Seraph burst out laughing while cringing at the memory. "Poor Fuji, the others stared at him like he had grown a third wing... ah, forgive me again, Aurum. Please, simply Lamington is fine. Or Seraph, if you must."

"As you wish..." Aurum began, weighing up the two names before setting on, "Seraph. I thank you for inviting me into your home, and showing me such sights. I must admit I doubted how worthy I would-"

The Seraph placed a comforting palm on the Fallen Hero's shoulder. "Be at peace. At times, we all need guidance. But you are an old acquaintance that has more than earned a favour, so I am going to introduce you to... my muse, if you would," Lambinton smiled his benevolent, mysterious smile, and Aurum felt that it meant the topic was now closed for discussion. The Seraph made a motion with his hand and a light spray of water flowed from it to sprinkle the flowers lining the path they walked on. "Do you know why, as opposed to the countless Netherworlds in the sky, there is only one Celestia?"

The question caught Aurum off guard. "I admit, I don't. I thought each Netherworld had a Celestia to mirror it, just as each one has a border to the human world." The Fallen Hero's eyes narrowed. "Are the realms of Celestia being overrun?"

Lamington laughed lightly. "Not at all," he replied, his eyes not moving from the multitude of flowers around them. "We who chose to be angels simply prefer diplomacy over warfare. Once, there was a realm of angels to match each realm of demons, but as time went on, we banded together, forming tight bonds that ultimately united the worlds into one. Celestia is a unique realm, where one can cross from one dimension to the next as easily as walking through a field, a realm where no walls divide neighbours."

Aurum found himself dazed by the revelation. "This world is more beautiful than I could have imagined. A crossroad of dimensions where peace sleeps as silently as a baby..." he said in awe.

"True, but babies are not known as the lightest of sleepers," Lamington said, a note of sadness in his voice as he tended to a flower at the foot of the temple, one with petals as bright and red as flowing lava. However, he smiled as he heard harp music begin to flow over the fields, filling the air with an uplifting melody. "Ah... she certainly lives up to her name."

Vyers nodded in agreement. "Such a beautiful song, why, it simply sings of hope in spite of strife."

Aurum frowned, something in that music throwing him off. _'Perhaps it is just a sign of how far I've fallen...'_ he mused sadly, before the real problem actually clicked in his mind. "Wait..." he said, recognising the music. "Is that... Bon Jovi?"

Vyers nodded. "She's quite a fan."

"I see..." was all Aurum managed to say as they strode into the building in the centre of the field of flowers, a proud, classical amphitheatre full of marble and light.

And at the centre of it all, sat the most beautiful woman Aurum had ever seen. She had the appearance of an angel, but there was more life to her, much more, than the soldiers and guards he had seen on his way there. Leaning over an ornate harp, a web of gold and silver that weaved in an elegant arch, she plucked strings that were so fine they were barely visible. After a moment, he realised he recognised as not a harp, but a longbow, and no normal bow at that – it was the weapon the Seraph himself had wielded so long ago, when Celestia itself took pity on the human world and involved themselves in the Invincible Devastation.

"Who is she?" Aurum asked, in awe.

"She is The Song of The Envoy," Lamington smiled. "Ariel, The Radiance."

Aurum nodded dumbly, not even realising it was a title. To his eyes, there was no other word to describe her. She was... radiant.

As the music reached a crescendo, the angel, no, _goddess_, raised her head and began to sing.

"_Oo~oh! We're halfway there~!_"

"I love this part!" Lamington whispered into Aurum's ear.

"Oo~_oh!_ _Living on a prayer~!_"

The Seraph and the demon were bobbing their heads to the music, and Aurum covertly checked for cameras in case it turned out he was actually on Screw'd.

"_Take my hand, we'll make it I –_" At last, the angel opened her eyes and spotted the three of them watching. She jumped up with a shriek, her mouth forming a horrified 'O' as she stumbled backwards. "L-L-L-Lamington! W-w-what a surprise!"

"Ariel! You look radiant as always!" Lamington chuckled. Aurum could guess by Vyers' suppressed roll of eyes that it was an old joke, but the goddess giggled shyly nonetheless. Her golden eyes turned to Aurum questioningly, and he was taken aback by how piercing they were. It was like she could see into his very soul. Come to think of it, she was a goddess – she probably could. Suddenly he felt even more exposed. It was chafing, to a man like him.

"Ah! How rude of me," the Seraph admonished himself, catching the look Aurum and Ariel had shared. "This man, my dear Ariel, is an esteemed guest of ours. Perhaps you remember him?"

Ariel stroked her cheek thoughtfully, nodding. "Yes, I do... hmm, human, striking posture... _interesting_ means of accumulating power," she mused aloud. Aurum shifted uneasily, but at the same time was relieved. It was about _time_ somebody in this realm had called him out on his Evil God powers lying just beneath the surface. But why did she see him first as human?

"I have it!" Ariel exclaimed, clapping her hands together happily, snapping Aurum out of his thoughts as she moved forward. She reached up to cup his cheek in a cool palm – she was so slight, was she truly a god? – and smiled. "Aurum. How good it is to see you again."

"Again?" he asked, his brows furrowing in confusion, before he glanced over at the harp resting upright where she had left it. "Ah..."

"Yes, I saw you fight quite bravely against my sister," she smiled, but it was a sad one, the memory obviously painful to her. "And you only possessed a fraction of the power then as you do now. It's no wonder you became the hero everyone so revered. How could anyone forget your bravery that day?"

"I did..." Aurum mumbled, feeling weak, weak, _weak_ before her.

She smiled softly, pulling him down to her level and planting a light kiss on his forehead. "Yes, I understand well. None of us are infallible. Though I am a god, in life and love I am the same as a human. Listen to me," she said, and he listened. "All things change, Aurum, and we change with them. What we see, what we hear, what we read, what we touch... whatever we experience, without exception it engraves itself in our hearts and souls, and we change. Just as surely as the sun will rise again after the night is through, we change. You, so brave, so valiant, you placed yourself between the innocent and the horde so often, so selflessly. I cannot blame you for becoming tarnished. It must have been so painful..."

"I..." Aurum tore his eyes away. "Thanks, but I don't really deserve sympathy."

Ariel smiled, and flicked him on the forehead. "Well, you're getting it anyway. Sometimes the bad guys get what they don't deserve. Life isn't fair. But I've learned that it doesn't mean it's not worth living. Besides... you're trying. And in this silly little world that means something."

"There is a reason we wanted you to meet her, Aurum," Lamington said. "It is not healthy to dwell on your failings, nor is it beneficial to reject your shadows. They are a part of you that is very real. Do not be afraid of it. That darkness that fills you with dread? It merely highlights how deep your soul is. Treat it with respect, and it will not consume you as it once did."

"Angels and demons, in truth we are the same," Vyers nodded in agreement. "And that goes equally for the demons in your heart, Aurum. That which harries you will strengthen you, should you be willing to face and accept it."

"But... how?" Aurum asked.

"The Trial by Lotus," Ariel said in a quiet voice. Lamington and Vyers looked at her, surprised that she would even mention it as she went on. "Surely you don't mean for me to..."

"That would be the swiftest way, Ariel," Lamington said softly. The goddess' expression changed, and she gave the seraph a look of such tempered outrage that Aurum found himself wanting to step back lest the glare be directed at him. Lamington, however, did not so much as flinch. "But I agree, the path is harsh."

"If I could ask..." the former hero spoke up, glancing between the two. "But what is this 'Lotus Path', and how would it help me?"

For a moment, Ariel's golden eyes betrayed millennia of trials. It was a shadow that passed over them before she began to explain. "The Lotus Path is a means of traversing the heart and psyche unlike any other. It is a path I control, and I can guide you through it. But to survive..." Here, she hesitated.

"To walk the path, you must remain strong, of heart and of conviction," she said. "Succumb to your shame, and it will be a path of punishment, one you bring upon yourself. But focus on what you want to be, on what you know you truly are, and it will be a path of healing. If you can accept your mistakes along the trial, then and only then will you be fit to move forward and truly grasp redemption."

The fallen hero frowned in confusion. "But, I _have_ accepted my faults," he insisted. "That's why I'm here, to seek some source of redemption."

"No, Aurum," the Archangel said sternly. "You are running, blind and ashamed." Aurum balked, averting his eyes. "But I'm glad..." the seraph continued, and the fallen hero looked up to see a smile on his face. "I'm glad you managed to run in the right direction. To lose a friend after so long would be a true tragedy."

"I... thank you." Aurum bowed deeply, overcome by their generosity.

"But first!" the Seraph said with a beaming smile, before turning and bowling to the goddess. "Please, Ariel, I beseech you, a song." Lamington said in a faintly teasing tone. "I must hear it at least once, or I shall not rest - your voice is enough to bring the most stoic archangel to tears."

"In a good way, of course," Vyers piped in cheekily. Lamington gave him a flat look before returning his attention back to the bow goddess, whose face was glowing in embarrassment.

Aurum idly wondered what could possibly make a goddess blush. Apparently Vyers was thinking along the same lines, as he leaned towards the fallen hero with a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You see, he is rather fond of her..."

"I am fond of everyone," Lamington said lightly.

"Is that right? I'll have to be careful in the future then," the demon grinned, eliciting a sigh from the angel.

"Ah, my friend, with such words none could mistake you as a denizen of Celestia. Please, Ariel, music to distract us from the rube."

"W-well, one song wouldn't hurt..." Ariel blushed, keeping her eyes firmly cast down at her bow. Taking a deep breath, she seemed to regain some confidence as her fingers met the harp strings. "This is a song that is very special to me. It's called, 'Shot through the Heart', by Bon Jovi."

"Okay seriously, where are the cameras?" Aurum hissed in Vyers' ear. The demon only chuckled in response.

Ariel gave a light cough into her hand to clear her throat, and readied herself. "_Shot through the heart~!"_

At that moment, a voice spoke to her very soul.

"_Remember the pact?"_

The goddess froze.

"The air has shifted..." Aurum murmured to himself, once again on-edge.

And Ariel screamed as pain tore through her heart.

* * *

Mao tapped his foot, bored as Cieg and a few of the other demons worked together to put the finishing touches on the cross-dimension gate.

"Alright," the skull mage announced. "I think we're just about ready! All we need to do is connect the gate to the dimensional co-ordinates Jericho gave us, and we're in Veldime."

"About time too..." Salvatore growled, stepping forward. Mao was just about to give a cutting retort, but froze when he thought he heard something in the distance.

'_Remember the pact?'_

And that's when it all went wrong for Evil Academy.

_Something _screamed a howl that echoed through the buildings around them, and Mao flinched, a sharp pain shooting through the back of his head. "Ow," he growled. "Okay, who just did that?"

Rasberyl frowned at him. "What are you talking about-?" Her eyes widened as she saw something from the corner of her eye, and she barrelled into Mao. "Look out!"

Both of them went tumbling away just as a blast of power struck where the honour student had been standing, catching the other demons in the blast. Mao tumbled, hooked an arm around Rasberyl's waist and jumped out of the blast zone that quickly consumed the site of the portal. Its power source cut off, the amber gateway faded, spiralling into darkness.

"Well, there goes the ex-fake hero's reinforcements," Mao said, pushing himself up and straightening his glasses.

"Kyoko! Asuka!" Rasberyl shrieked, running into the dust cloud to find her handmaidens. Mao dusted his sleeves off and made to go follow her, but a voice chuckling behind him made him stop and grip the hilt of his axe, his blood beginning to boil.

"Hmmhmmhmm... I thought this might happen, so I waited until your guard was down," the voice said, and Mao whirled around to see _him_. "Oh Mao, even though we are friends, I have to say, you are disappointing," Super Hero Aurum grinned darkly, his Evil God form pulsating ominously behind him. "I knew sooner or later you'd come scrambling after Almaz. Haven't you realised yet that it was I who trapped him in the first place?"

'_There's something wrong here...'_ Mao realised, forcing anger back, focusing on his scientific rational. _'I know there is... could it be the axe? No... It's not a delusion...'_

Mao fixed his mind on the fallen hero. He looked the part; there was nothing off about his appearance, his aura or even his scent. Every single mental check he made confirmed that this was Aurum standing before him, but... There was still something off!

"What are you talking about?" Mao scoffed, buying some time to consider what was wrong with Aurum. He needed more data... "That vassal of Big Star's said it was some sorcerer named Cinos. Don't just hijack somebody else's scheme because your own failed, you bastard. I thought Heroes were supposed to have a thing called etiquette!"

Aurum laughed, almost amicably, before leaping to the side just as several orbs of mana crashed down on his position.

"Mao, get back!" Rasberyl yelled, running in front of him with her tome floating before her.

"Ah, Miss Rasberyl, how good of you to join us," Aurum grinned. I actually wanted a word with you. You see, I wanted to thank you for your efforts all these years."

'_There it is again. Something is off about him!_' Mao frowned, but he still couldn't place his finger on it. Everything else confirmed it was the same man, so why...?

"You see, you've been such a dedicated rival to Mao, and as I was trying to groom him into the perfect Overlord, I needed someone whose values would be diametrically opposed to someone who would be a true Overlord," Aurum admitted, explaining his plots to the two rivals. Rasberyl's lip curled into a growl at the rant, but Mao half tuned him out, having already deduced most of this in the past week, preferring to try and figure out what was wrong with Aurum.

"Such sources are rare in the Netherworld, but by chance you were the perfect tool to use," Aurum went on. "After all, when one pours concrete into a mold, it hardens in the opposite shape, doesn't it? Don't worry though. I do not blame you for Mao being a failure. It's not the fault of the mold that the concrete is flawed and cracked. Oh, but here I am, making a short story long! To put it simply, thank you very much for your help over the years..."

'_Tone of voice!_' Mao realised as a bolt of inspiration struck. '_It's his tone of voice, that's what's throwing me off! If Beryl just keeps him monologing for a bit longer, I can_-'

Aurum disappeared in a flash. An arc of light swathed through Rasberyl, slicing her tome in half and sending its pages scattering, and she was falling, turning as she fell to the ground to look at Mao one last time...

And Aurum reappeared, sending a bolt of light at her that turned her into ashes. "...but I don't need you anymore."

Mao's mind went blank for exactly thirty-seven milliseconds, before instead filling with white hot fury. Screw analysis, screw voice tone. He'd have time to comprehend what had happened later, time to mourn and regret not calculating the hero's intent sooner. Right now, all he cared was that Aurum die this very instant, quickly, painfully and messily.

"_Aurum..._" Mao growled, diving for the Super Hero, his cursed axe whirling through the air to deprive Aurum's torso of his legs. "That was your last mistake... _Almaz isn't here to save you now!_"

Rage was clouding his mind. Too late did he realise it wasn't Aurum his axe was swinging towards.

And he felt the axe laugh in his hands, and shudder as if to say '_told you it wasn't over...'_

It wasn't Aurum his axe was swinging towards.

"Mao?_!_" Rasberyl screamed as the axe swung towards her.

* * *

Monty fumed, trying to move, to do _something_ other than lie on the ground and collect dirt. He couldn't sense anything from Almaz, and he knew, he _knew_, time was running out.

He buzzed with power he knew he couldn't spare, weak bursts of electricity sparking, trying to reach the boy, but the young hero didn't notice a thing. The tightness around the young hero's eyes slackened as the last spark of life left him and peacefully, without a whisper, Almaz died.

"_Oh no you __**DO NOT!**_" Monty snarled, hurling a black bolt at the boy's body. Riding the wave of his fury and desperation, something stirred deep within in the heart of the sword.

It was a realm of twisted metal, all rusted and coated with a thick layer of black corruption. There were no residents or innocents to be seen, not in this sword, any who could find a place in the realm had inevitably been dragged beneath the sea of grime. And if they hadn't, could it even be possible to spot them? The rust clung to everything in the land, staining the world black without a shred of light to be found.

The only evidence this land was even a being's heart was a beast that resembled an Ifrit, with a black suit of armour and mottled flesh, discernable from the world only by a fiery cloud of miasma that hung around it like a cloak. Monty's True Heart, a monster unlike any other, a being that hid itself in shadows and grime. It was roaring in outrage at the sky, where a colossal copper sphere hung like a moon poised to crash into Monty's world.

It wasn't a smooth orb by any means – it was more like layers and chunks of metal melted together to form a whole, each piece seeming to have undergone different treatment. Some sections were beaten and scuffed by past trauma, others were twisted and jagged from fresh, growing cynicism, more still was thin and wiry cables, and twisting away as if it were afraid something would rip it to shreds. Past the outer layers, however, there was a different story. The dull copper was somewhat scuffed and worn, but it formed strong, proud shapes like castle turrets and futuristic roads, like the background set to every ten year old boy's idea of the perfect hero TV show. At the centre of the red city was a palace, one identical to the Royal Rhodonite Castle, only instead of stone it was carved from pure diamond. Everything gleamed in the centre of that world, the copper buffed, the diamond shining – and everything was dead.

Because it was Almaz's heart.

The sight of it, so close and yet out of reach forever, sent Monty's heart into an utter frenzy.

"_**GET UP!**_" it screamed, and the corruption around him bristled, black lightning arcing towards the hero's heart. **"I didn't trawl around the sticks and get crippled by a whiny, shrinking little **_**bitch**_** like you only for you to go and die before I got anything out of this deal. Do you hear me!**_**?**_** YOU. ARE. MY. NEXT. VESSEL. I wanted Zenon, but noooo, you had to go and derail **_**everything**_** out of nowhere! And finally, when I saw some potential in you, something I could work with, you had the gall to die!**_**? Not on my watch.**_"

"_It's not going to work. He doesn't respond to you_," another voice echoed. The corrupted god's heart froze, not in horror but in outrage, and it turned to snarl at the source of the voice.

It was another being, identical to the corrupted beast, but with a flow of blazing yellow aura around it, like a sun poised in the blackness of space around them. He was bound down by the corruption, the very landscape serving as his locks and chains, but had snapped and broken at his head, letting him turn his head to face the beast. He was the glimmer of light that Cinos had recognised when he had peered into the darkness of Monty's soul.

"**So you've decided to awaken**," the corruption growled.

The bright being chuckled. "_Feh. How could I sleep through that racket? Truth be told, I was awake the whole time, ever since that kid first cut us with our own blade. And ever since, I've been growing stronger. See? Now I can do _this_."_ He heaved his arm, and his golden aura began to shine through a rapidly growing web of cracks in the corruption. The rust held for a moment before shattering, freeing the shining being's arm. He flexed it experimentally, and grinned. _"Let me just say – we've picked a stand-up wielder this time_."

"**Don't be so cocky. So you've gotten a little edgeway in my heart-**"

"Our _heart_," the shining god corrected with a snarl. "_And don't expect it to last for much longer. You're not the True Heart here – I am. You're just the rust on my blade_."

"**Feh, big talk,**" the corrupt being scoffed.** "It'll end the same way as it did before. Just as soon as I wake the brat up. I've already earned a little niche in his heart thanks to those two foolish Item Gods - a modest place, sure, but all I need to corrupt it. Degrade it. And then, I'll bury you again in the remains of his heart while I claim his power as my own**."

"_The same old dance, huh?_" the other chuckled, unimpressed. "_Makers preserve me, you're so stupid. You don't even get it... one glance at his heart and I knew he was the one who'd end things. But you can't even see it._"

"**And would you like to share your thoughts with the rest of the class?**" huffed the beast. "**It's a typical damn human heart. Twisted and flawed on the outside, but a fancy, shiny core, just like a freaking feel-good daytime movie of the week. But it's metal. Easily bent, easily manipulated. The diamond palace is a **_**little**_** cute, but nothing I haven't seen or corrupted before. So what do you know that I don't?**"

The shining being chucked and looked up at the heart of the boy. Not at the core palace but at the whole of it, Almaz's dull, unpolished, copper heart. "I _know that he's a hero. At least, he tries his best, and when it comes to hearts that's the most important thing."_ He shifted and angled his head, locking his burning gold eyes with the corrupted god's sickly purple ones. "_He's got the heart of a Hero. Not... a Tyrant._"

"**Feh**," the beast spat, looking away. "**And what's your bright idea then?**"

"_Let me at that niche. He'll respond to my side of the heart."_

"**And let you get more leeway? I'd rather let him rot."**

"_You can't risk it. We both need the kid. Without another strong heart to work with ours will forever be in stasis. And while I can live with it, to a bastard like you it'd be like slow death, wouldn't it?"_

The beast was still for a moment before turning fully and storming away. "**Make it quick**."

The shining one grinned, relishing his small victory. It had been a long time, and he wanted to savour it, but first things first. He raised his free hand and sent his aura up, pushing it high into the sky and spreading it so that it cradled the heart's form, whispering to the heart as power flowed between them. "_That rusted fool... I can't believe I actually let myself get killed by a being like that. He can't see you for what you are, kid. He's so distracted by that bauble of diamond in your heart that he didn't even look at the whole you. Good thing for us, right?"_

He had expected something, a pulse of agreement or recognition from the heart at his words, but there was nothing. The heart remained cold despite the energy the shining being was sending into it. But he didn't give up, and kept talking._ "You've got a heart of copper, kid. It's not as tough as a heart of steel, it doesn't hold the same weight as a heart of stone, and it isn't as sharp as a heart of obsidian, but that's fine. Steel rusts, stone crumbles, obsidian shatters. Not copper. It bends and dents easy, but it can just be bent back, you know? Copper can be anything you want it to be. And you and me, kid, we're going to make a sword that'll split the world in two. But to do that, you've got to wake up."_

The heart remained cold, but the being knew it felt something stir. But it was so weak...

"_Please kid, I'm begging you,_" the being said. _"A god is begging you. Beat that heart of yours. Breath."_

And Almaz's heart responded, drawing strength from the oasis of the god's power.

The cables glowed and buzzed with energy, black lightning coursing through them. The highways began to heat, glowing bright red. And slowly, at the very core of the heart, the landscape around the castle filled with heat and power, beginning to glow, going red-hot, orange, yellow, and at the very centre, in the foundations of the diamond palace, the copper grew white hot, filling up the palace with a radiant light.

In the Vault Room of the diamond castle, a figure wearing a sharp red scarf opened his eyes to the light, before nodding to himself in understanding.

And in the physical world, where Almaz and Monty lay motionless in the dirt, a burst of light flared over the hero's chest – and he drew a sharp, shocked breath.

"Wh-" Almaz croaked, his eyes wide and confused, too weak to even move. Too weak to even draw another breath.

"_That's real good kid_," Monty said in a tone both sarcastic and relieved. "_Now for the second_."

And the flare of light surged again, beating the Overlord Hero's heart for him, and Almaz dragged in that elusive breath.

And another, and another.

The Overlord Hero returned to the world of the living.

* * *

_Chapter 23 – end –_

* * *

Varanotes: He's back everybody! Sorta, kinda, mostly, still counts!

Almaz's revival was actually planned for next chapter but I moved it over here due to popular demand (ie, like three people asked for it). And you say I never do things for you!

Also, with this chapter comes the introduction of the final two members of our Item God pantheon, the Radiance, Song of The Envoy and the Invincible, Arsenal of The Artisan.

Pandora's weapon form is, pretty much, a direct Devil May Cry 4 reference. Why? Because the last gun in that game, the Pandora, is said to have six-hundred and sixty six different forms. I am not going to pass that opportunity up! At the same time, her dress sense is a shout out to Black Rock Shooter.

Ariel is named for several beings – the actual angel Ariel, the Shakespearian Ariel from 'The Tempest', and the angel from... Neon Genesis Evangelion. You know, the one Asuka has a spot of trouble with near the end of the series. I bet you can't tell what Ariel's power is, can you? Also, disclaimer: If anyone groaned at the timing of her song choice, it's because I'm really trying to get across what the heck is happening to the other gods right now. Cinos' actions last chapter, 'the pact', has long reaching consequences.

Things are kind of confusing at the moment due to the large amount of exposition and scene changes that are going on during this and last chapter. Believe me, I understand if people are feeling lost here and there. Just hang on tight, everything wraps up nicely, I promise! It'll all lead into a more focused storyline real soon.

Might be a touch of a wait for the next chapter though – I have essays to write and college work to prepare for. Stay tuned, and drop a review! I have a few questions to pose to you though...

1) Is Aurum getting too angsty, or am I allowed let him keep wallowing in shame for a little while longer?

2) Any thoughts on the new Item Gods?

3) I've already revealed Monty is the Yoshitsuna... now anyone have any theories about what _else_ he is? Hint: some past guesses have been close to the mark!

Thanks to Fireblast123, The Last Z Fighter, FaaairyFairy, The Genius Mage Divine Wolfe, The Ansem Man, Alewar Warinot, Moonlit Wave, Mereo Flare, Renuki, Taiga, OverlordMao, Murazor, axeloftheflame, Macavity Omega, Velgar, General Generic, parody'r'us, choccochipcookie-chan130 and S.E. for taking the time to review the last chapter! And thanks for reading!

Until next time,

-Varanus


	24. Crashing of Light and Fire

**Fail to the King!**

* * *

_Chapter 24 – Crashing of Light and Fire_

* * *

"Braveheart, braveheart," Jericho chanted under his breath, racing through Holt towards the dimension gate. "Speed boost, shield, lock-on, oh bloody hell _braveheart_!"

Jericho dived into the dimension gate. Being a dab hand at them himself, he set the location on the fly before the attendant could stop him and emerged in a fiery landscape, where a mountain of coiled magma and death awaited him.

His heart seized in his chest, and he patted a healing spell into it to calm it down. His wound from Phoenix ached and burned, but he set it aside, refusing to acknowledge his weakness. This battle, it was about his strength, about how far he had come since facing this beast since it had burned him so long ago and, most of all... it was about fulfilling a contract.

And so, instead of turning tail and fleeing, or sulking in the distance, waiting for an opening that would never come, he stood before the gargantuan serpent of flames, the ringing of his sword drawing from its sheath capturing its attention. No turning back.

"Do you remember me?" Jericho taunted the wyrm. "Once, during a raid, I faced you in battle! You failed to kill me then! That was a mistake!"

The serpent rose high above the demon, its head cocked to regard him with a molten stone eye. Its maw opened, shucking layers of dried magma like spittle. Jericho tensed, forcing the pain from his wound into a tiny corner of his mind, ready for anything. But to his shock, instead of fire the dragon spoke.

"_Remember?"_ Lee Shang-Long asked in a voice like grinding stone, sounding mildly amused. _"What is there to remember? Do you remember every grain of rice that falls from your bowl? Every insect you swat casually from your face? Do not presume you are significant enough to warrant my attention... " _It brought its head closer to tower over the samurai, and chuckled. _"Kukuku... my flames, however, are not nearly so discriminate..."_

"Yeah, I'll bet," Jericho scoffed lightly, refusing to allow himself to be intimidated, beast of his nightmares or no. "Alright then, I'll have another taste. Give me as much as you've got, but don't go thinking you'll reach that village. As long as I'm standing here, you shall not pass."

"_Ku..." _the wyrm paused and regarded him slowly._ "Now, samurai... now you have my attention. Why do you persist, in the face of perdition?"_

"Friendship!" he yelled instantly.

The serpent bobbed its massive stone head in understanding. _"Is that so? I should have known..."_

"What? Seriously?" Jericho asked incredulously. "No! Are you kidding? Hell no! I persist because of booze!"

"_Alcohol?_" the wyrm boomed, amused. _"Kukuku... Generally people become foolish _after_ consumption, not before. Is that truly the reason?"_

"Yeah, somebody owes me a drink, and I won't get it if you burn down the village," he replied. "Do you get it yet? I've been hired to protect that village, and that doesn't change even in the face of your precious 'perdition'." He readied his katana, dropped into his fighting stance and glared fiercely. "Why even bother asking a samurai what he stands for? We never stray from our jobs, and this. Is. My. _Job_."

Jericho's form blurred. The dragon barely seemed to be surprised, instantly spitting a tongue of flame at him, but the samurai was already gone. He reappeared to the left, several strides close, and again vanished before the retaliatory blast of flame could reach. Lee Shang-Long's molten eyes narrowed, trying to guess the samurai's movements.

"Over here," Jericho called out, and vanished as a tail of molten rock crashed down like a lava flow where he had been. He appeared behind the dragon once more, distance closing even tighter. "I didn't spend all those centuries as a ninja for the bandanna, you know," he laughed, blurring again as Lee Shang-Long's snout crashed into his position. Snarling, the dragon rose and whipped its head around, ready to douse the land in fire the instant the samurai tried to appear behind it.

There was the sound of crunching gravel that Lee Shang-Long realised, too late, wasn't due to its own bulk. The pulse of mana served as it's only other warning as Jericho leapt through the air, sword buzzing with power.

He hadn't moved at all. When the dragon crashed down on him, he had stepped behind the pile of rubble he had been aiming for the whole time. And now that the dragon had turned its back in anticipation for another strike, his counter attack could begin.

He charged, his sword low, and channelled his mana – it was time for his trump card.

There was a reason he had spent lifetimes reincarnating into different races and classes of demons – to master the sword. And to master a weapon he needed to master every aspect of himself that lent itself to that weapon. Transmigrative Compulsive Disorder wasn't a bad thing when used correctly.

"_Fire boost_," he growled, and the heat around him suddenly abated, unable to pierce his new resilience to flame.

Life as a Ninja taught him sneak attacks and how to move with grace and speed. Life as a Warrior taught him how to best apply brute power and to cripple opponents. Heavy Knight lifetimes taught him a myriad of defensive manoeuvres, Berserker lives had helped him harness his innate demonic rage, Ranger and Gunner years taught him to keep a cool head and a sharp eye under pressure.

But he had known there was more to the way of the sword than that, so he had pushed deeper. Geomancy taught him to sense mana and to utilise and manipulate the environment to suit him, whereas time as a Mage had opened the world of magic to him.

"_Ice boost_." A cloak of freezing mana washed over him.

That had brought him to his two most important lifetimes. His many lives as Samurai, where his inherent discipline had helped him apply what he had learned - and his life as a Magic Knight, who stood as the crux of swordplay and magic.

The lazy, unfocused demons populating the academy would laugh and call it an indulgence. Jericho was, largely, above such things. To master the sword as was his chosen goal, one needed to let go of preconceptions and understand the truths of the sword. Magic knights were legendary, a women-only race of demons who use the sword as lenses for their powers, call the sword's truths into question. To understand their path... Well, there was only one way, wasn't there?

But Jericho wasn't thinking of that now. All he knew was that thanks to his past transmigrations he stood a chance of avoiding incineration from even standing in the beast's presence, which meant he could attack it... Which meant, this time, there was a chance he could kill it.

"_Fire boost_." The fires grew dimmer to his sight as he found himself able to perceive their shapes and intensity. He was ready.

"_Ice Weapon_," he hissed, and his sword burst into a frigid aura, sheathed in a jagged blade of ice. He was moving faster than the dragon could respond, and so he poured all his power into this one blow. His stab wound was screaming at him, and he knew that one way or another that this would be the deciding factor.

_"Rune Blade style - Dark Cross Slash, Ice pattern!"_

Twisting, he cleaved though the blazing aura of heat that protected the wyrm with one slice and crashed into its side. Mana snapped around them both like a lead curtain, chaining the dragon in place but urging Jericho onwards.

The ice blade ploughed through the dragon's rocky skin like butter, leaving a deep black gouge. Ripping it away, Jericho let his mana drag him back up in the air as he angled another blow, ploughing back down with a second swing, bisecting the first to leave a blackened, frozen trench of rock in his wake.

Lee Shang long bellowed in pain as the wicked cross continued to freeze his molten body. Jericho barked a harsh laugh and landed on the wyrm's body, sinking his frozen blade up to the hilt in the magma and charging towards the dragon's head, leaving a wicked gouge in his wake.

Frost swept over the dragon, its body went cold, and Jericho leaped from his perch as the final pulse of his energy set off the attack's finale. Mana burst into explosive clouds that robbed heat from Lee Shang-Long's frame and with a shudder, the dragon toppled over, eyes dulled.

Jericho laughed as he fell, but the second his feet touched the rocky ground they crumpled under him. He tumbled over; sword scattered to the side, and heaved air into his aching lungs. His wound _burned_, worse than the heat of the dragon, and it was sure to have reopened, but that couldn't stop him from continuing to laugh. "How do you like that?" he scoffed, craning his head over to catch sight of Lee Shang-Long's corpse.

Suddenly the ground rumbled, and to the samurai's horror, the wyrm rose to stare down Jericho once again. Its wounds were as deep and grievous as before, and it seemed to be moving slower, but that fact did not comfort Jericho, paralyzed from his wound. _"Ku... good..."_ the dragon said appraisingly. _"Good effort... you are worthy prey... now, you die."_

"Heh... I didn't spend all those years... all those years training in the art of Rune Blade... just for the magic sword attacks..." Jericho panted, forcing himself onto one knee. His boast was a plea for time, to distract the beast, because he could feel the lines of mana beginning to intersect in the wake of his attack.

But it was so rare it was almost a random phenomenon, something he knew he couldn't rely on –

_There it was!_

"Don't underestimate demons of the Evil Academy," the samurai barked, lashing forward with the last of his strength to snatch up the trace echoes of mana his attack had left hanging in the air – and twist them as only a Rune Blade master could. "Rune Path – _Echo!_"

And in the air, came the echoing voice of Jericho – _"Rune Blade style - Dark Cross Slash, Ice pattern!"_

A faded silhouette of Jericho materialised in the air, like an old video recording of his last attack. Lee Shang-Long found himself paralysed, just as before, and saw the blade descend, just as before. And there wasn't a single thing the wyrm could do other than relive the onslaught, icy trenches being gouged anew and the final frigid explosion washing over it in an exact repeat of Jericho's first devastating attack. A wave of mist and smoke washed over the injured samurai as he saw the wyrm collapse once again.

This time it didn't play dead. It thrashed and roared and shrieked in pain, waves of heat emitting from its body as it tried to stave off the cold. Jericho knew better than to hope it was death throes – he had come close, so close, to killing the beast, but now his part was through. His body was seizing up from Phoenix's wound, and Lee Shang-Long began to still its thrashing and rise once more. The dragon's head craned to catch sight of the samurai with a colossal yellow eye, and it gave a pained snort. _"It seems... even insects can rally against the snake.._." it said, before letting out a hissing sneer. _"Yet in the end, they _remain_ insects."_

"And don't you forget it," the samurai wheezed, giving the beast a defiant smirk. "You should pay attention to us insects... you never know if that buzz you try to swat is a wasp."

"_I shall note that_," Lee Shang-Long rumbled, and opened its maw wide, an ominous glow beginning to emerge.

"Damn..." Jericho sighed, watching helplessly as the fire spilled from the dragon's gullet, crashing down onto him in a red wave of heat. "And I was looking forward to that drink too..."

* * *

Celestia echoed with the scream of a goddess.

Lamington and Vyers rose quickly, rushing forward with concern for the woman, standing stock still with a pained and horrified expression on her face. Aurum stared, stunned, before frowning as he realised the sensation he had felt might have been related. But what was it?

He saw the frozen god's hands twitch on her harp, a movement so tiny and insignificant it was only Aurum's paranoia that had let him catch the movement. Ever since he had confronted Almaz and been, impossibly, spared, he had been unable to expect what events would be around each corner, and having spent the better part of two centuries plotting and planning the movements of each and every person in Mao's social web, this sudden dearth of knowledge was unsettling.

Since arriving at Celestia he had been confronted by a demon and welcomed like an old friend, and despite himself, despite their kindness and selflessness and generosity, Aurum had been searching for the catch, the plotting behind the facade. And then meeting with the goddess who radiated power and kindness but was as meek as a kitten... he had felt something _had_ to be off.

Forget jumping at shadows. He was jumping at sparks of light, and that was the only thing that saved them in that moment.

Because, when the goddess of bows twitched her hands so that they met the strings of the harp, he instantly realised what was about to occur.

"_GET DOWN!_" he roared, surging forward and, with firm shove, brought all three of them onto the ground, avoiding by a hair's breadth a volley of searing light.

Aurum looked up to see a terrible sight.

Ariel was convulsing as if she was suffering a fit, her eyes filled with panic and fear as something flashed before her eyes. Memories, feelings, the presence of a being she had once set aside. The strings of her bow in hand sung, being plucked by invisible hands, weaving a song complex, desolate and mad.

And as suddenly as it began, the song ended, and Ariel fell to her knees, clutching her bow like a lifeline. Tears poured from her eyes as her face wore an expression of abject despair. Lamington quickly moved to comfort her.

"_**Everywhere...**__"_ she said, in a voice that was a twisted echo of her former soft tone._ "__**Everywhere, fools like you imitate a kind world... but even here, darkness festers... turns to hate... beckons corruption... no... I will wipe away the stain... I will make this world **_**radiant**_**!**_"

Four wings erupted from Ariel's back – white, unnatural wings with long, thin spikes of metal in place of feathers. '_No... not wings... quivers!_' Aurum realised. '_She's going to-!_'

The wings struck the bow, and Ariel's fingers whispered over the strings.

The storm of light that swept over Aurum was unlike anything he had ever seen before. He dove into the dirt, and could only stare in wonder as the temple around him was torn to shreds by the goddess' arrows. After only a moment the arrows ceased, and the fallen hero looked up to see Ariel had vanished.

"No!" Lamington exclaimed, and took off like a bullet into the distance.

"Oh dear, this is..." Vyers trailed off, searching for the right word.

"Disastrous?" Aurum asked. "Impossible? Bizarre?"

"Nostalgic!" Vyers said happily, snapping his fingers. "That's the word I was looking for. Believe it or not, Lamington and I were not always on good terms with the fair Ariel." His eyes narrowed as he searched the surroundings for the goddess. "Something must have happened to her. She's having a flashback or somesuch to the old days."

"_This_ is how she used to be?" Aurum asked, incredulous. "How is that even possible? She's nothing like before!"

"All things change, my friend," Vyers said, echoing Ariel's words. "Time and the trials it brings can turn even the most naive, pure-hearted fool into a bitter cynic, or the most zealous god into a shy saint. You, Aurum, are no exception... and neither is she."

Aurum frowned. "But for the change to be so severe... look out!" A magic circle had appeared at their feet, and the human had just barely spotted it in time for him to snatch Vyers by the scruff of his coat and dive out of the way. A pillar of arrows shot up from the circle and disappeared into another circle higher up in the sky. Aurum swore as he spotted another circle appear in the corner of his eye, and dived again, dodging the pillar once more.

"I have legs, you know!" Vyers exclaimed, indignant at his ragdoll treatment.

"Anytime you'd like to use them, feel free!" Aurum snarled back, dropping the demon and drawing his sword. The circle opened up before him, and he was ready. Arrows, bright shards of light like glowing crystals, burst forward. His sword became a whirlwind, striking down swathes of the missiles, creating an invisible barrier around him. He knew he couldn't block them all, but that wasn't what he was trying to do. Arrows screamed through his guard as he focused only on the ones poised to strike him, suffering nothing but the most insignificant of scratches. It was like cutting the rain of a storm and remaining dry.

Still, those scratches burned, and dredged up surges of shame and revulsion. Aurum frowned harder as he redoubled his efforts. Were the arrows enchanted? Or was it the goddess' power, psychological and emotional warfare in the most physical of ways possible?

"_**How dare you be so arrogant as to stand against the light!**_**?**_"_ Ariel shrieked in a voice totally alien to the sweet woman she had been before. _"__**Your kind only begets evil's stain! Perish, so that the world may shine all the brighter!**__"_

In the distance, he saw the sky become streaked with stark white light. "Arrows enough to blot out the sun, only to replace it?" Aurum mused, chuckling. All around him, magic circles began to appear. Every last arrow in the sky, he knew, was focused keenly on him. "So be it." Aurum snarled, and a gout of darkness burst around him as he enveloped himself fully in the power of the Evil God. "If I am denied the right to fight in the shade, I shall become it!"

"Well said," four identical voices praised him, and in his peripheral vision he saw four identical, flamboyant clones of Vyers. "Allow me to bask in that darkness of yours, the darkness that rejects the light of a goddess!"

"If you can keep up," scoffed Aurum, feeing the mana in his blood hum with anticipation as the circles began to glow.

"Ha! I didn't train with hundred-tonne boxers for nothing, I'll have you know!" Vyers laughed.

Aurum almost let his guard down. "What."

Then the arrows fell, and there was no room for words. Vyers' clones danced through the storm, swatting arrows from the sky and snapping them in mid-air with smooth kicks and palm-thrusts. Graceful and elegant, one could have been forgiven for forgetting that he was in a battle to the death.

In contrast, Aurum was the more demonic of the two. His massive sabre of darkness swept through the rain of arrows, knocking them from their paths and burning them up with a sinister aura before they could even reach him. At his back, his twisted scabbard lashed out with tendrils of darkness, snatching missiles from the air that were aimed at Aurum and Vyers' blind spots. But the arrow storm only grew stronger, and quickly he was forced to draw his trump card. Letting out a roar and a burst of mana, he scattered the arrows and gained an instant of respite. The dark aura surged and from the corrupt vessel at his back, his greatest weapon emerged, the unlocked might of the Demon Slayer.

"Ready yourself, Vyers," he barked, and swung the blade. Destruction followed in its wake, a wide blast of dark mana that smothered the arrows of light, and Aurum followed through in the swing, bringing it arcing into the sky and shattering the magic circles.

But the storm never abated, and now he was worn out. He dropped the broadsword with a clatter and focused his power into his aura sabre, swathing through the rain of light just as the Vyers' clones continued to whirl through the air, doing his best to cover the hero. The twisted scabbard, ever bizarrely loyal, twitched and moved as much as it was able, deflecting arrows where it could and shielding Aurum where it couldn't, becoming riddled as a dartboard with the shards of light.

And suddenly, it was over, and Aurum collapsed to one knee, panting in exhaustion. The Vyers clones snapped back into one body and appeared similarly worn, but stood alert for the next volley.

"_**All things strive... even the taint, I know this well. What do you do, tainted ones?**__"_ Ariel's voice called, bitter but curious._ "__**What do you do, when the light burns and reveals your sins?**__"_

The tone in her voice was off. And something was missing. Aurum knew he couldn't defeat her, not with her so far away – but he realised that it wasn't up to him to defeat her – he needed to distract her. "_We pray_!" he declared. _"_We fall to our knees, and pray to the heavens, to wherever a merciful god may rest!"

"_**There is no mercy for you here!**__"_ the goddess yelled, her voice carrying a definite waver. She was reaching a breaking point. Disoriented, confused, and distracted – just as Aurum thought would happen.

"Then we can only hope to be delivered unto salvation..." he roared into the sky, setting the trap. "And pray that an angel is there to hear us."

Far in the distance, perched atop a temple peak, Ariel frowned, hesitating. And that moment of distraction cost her. "_**An angel to hear you? Can the angels even hear your wretched sobs?**_"

"One can," Lamington said, cutting through the pandemonium as he descended on the zealous Ariel.

She shrieked in outrage, levelling her bow at him and unleashing the storm. "_**Lamington! You think yourself a messiah?**_" she cried. She vanished in a blink of light, but there was no place in Celestia she could hide from Lamington now that he had he in his sights. She was a goddess, but Celestia was _Lamington's_ domain. He materialised beside her in the sky, closer than before, weaving through the arrows soaring for him with ease._ "__**You think yourself an envoy of the dawn? I can see the shame polluting your heart, pigeon!**__"_ she shrieked again, vanishing and reappearing in the amphitheatre she called home where Aurum and Vyers waited. A wave of power sent the demon and human both crashing into the stone walls, the goddess never so much as sparing them a glance._ "__**Look at this field of flowers!"**_ she snarled at Lamington, the bow in her hands singing a dark melody._** "Sinners, one and all, but you spare them! You can never justify your hesitation in my eyes, you lack perspective!**_**"**

"Perspective?" Lamington whispered harshly, diving forward, spinning through the flashes of light screaming for his soul. Eyes locked onto the goddess with alien fierceness, he snatched one bolt from the air that was aimed between his eyes. The ground shook as he landed hard before the maddened Ariel. "Let me educate you about _perspective_," he hissed, and stabbed her through with her own bolt of light.

The ornate bow fell from her grasp at once, clattering to the ground as her eyes went wide in disbelief. Hands shuddering, she clawed at her wound now pouring silvery wisps of haze into the air, and clarity returned to her face. "L-Lamington, I... I don't..." she stammered, staring at the Seraph mournfully. The mist flowing from her heart swelled over her, devouring her from sight before anyone could say another word.

In her place, the vanishing fog revealed a delicate metal lotus, with petals of polished gold and intricate silver leaves.

"Ariel..." Lamington whispered mournfully, falling to his knees.

Tearing his eyes from the scene, Vyers turned his attention to the wheezing human on the ground. "Are you alright?" he asked, helping Aurum rise.

"I..." groaned Aurum, pushing himself up, his limbs as weak as twigs. He winced as he sucked in a breath, grasping at his chest where he surely had cracked a rib at least - when he froze in horror as he felt his wound. Slowly looking downwards, he saw a white bolt impaled directly over his heart. His head whipped up to stare at Lamington and Vyers with a stricken expression.

"Aurum, listen to me," the Seraph said urgently, striding forward quickly. "You'll be..."

But before he could form another word, the mist flowed over Aurum, and he vanished from Celestia, leaving only a tan snapdragon to remember him by.

* * *

'_Today has been interesting_,' the Arsenal of the Artisan decided. She got a visit from the king and met some new people, a nice distraction from sleeping and painting she normally wasted her time on. Best of all, she spotted a pale blur of white and blue dart into the room about ten minutes after the king arrived. She had promptly declared "Bored now!" and kicked the king and his buddies out of her cell.

Pandora smirked to herself after the king and the two officers left the chamber, stretching out like a cat in the sun. Once the sound of their footsteps faded away, she tilted her head to the side. "You can come out now, princess," she said airily.

A head of pale blonde hair poked out from behind a column to check if the coast was clear, before striding out into the open. "How did you...?" Pandora gave her a flat, amused look, and the princess smiled sheepishly. "Right. Well. Thank you, Miss Invincible," Sapphire began. "Um, Miss Arsenal of the Artisan, I am here to request-"

Pandora simply laughed, waving her off. "Forget formalities here, I'm a prisoner, remember? And I sure as hell am _not_ part of the chain of command. I'm just a simple artist."

"Oh, so the Artisan lives up to her title?" Sapphire asked, curious.

"Of course," she said, gliding past him and hopping onto the steel pedestal in the centre of the room, sitting beside her Box. "Well, I'm a lot of things, but it all boils down to art," she said in a musical tone. She spread her arms out, beckoning Sapphire to look around.

She did so, and her blood froze in her heart. She could see, through the tower windows, an image of destruction. The city was gone, obliterated into a scorched wasteland that stretched to the horizon. Disbelievingly, she stepped forward, when she saw another window, this one giving a view of green, rolling fields untouched by man or industry, serene and peaceful. Confused, she looked to another window and saw a sunset over a crystal blue ocean... '_But the capital is a river city..._' she thought, confused, before she realised something else. '_The High Tower... isn't it supposed to be windowless?_'

"I'm guessing you're impressed by my art?" the pale woman asked playfully, and that's when it clicked in Sapphire's mind. These scenes, despite being practically photographic, were _paintings_.

"They're beautiful..." the princess admitted, surprised at herself for not realising sooner. "How..."

"Oh, well, I've had a lot of time on my hands over the past two hundred years," Pandora grinned, standing up and again bowing dramatically, a wide smirk on her face. "Now, what business does the Princess of Rhodonite have with a lowly inmate like me?"

Sapphire tore her eyes off the paintings and returned them to the goddess smiling playfully at her. "Miss Pandora..." the princess, then paused for a second to straighten her thoughts. "When I learned of you in my history books and lessons, you were described as a weapon that could shake the earth and rain down from the stars. But from what my father has told me about Pandora, the person... I feel I know you a little bit already. I feel that you can help me."

"Hmm? Ding's daughter wants my help?" Pandora mused aloud, tapping the side of her cheek as she smiled her Cheshire smile. "Alright, I'm interested. What is it that I can do for you?"

Sapphire knew this whole thing had to be a bad idea... but if there was even the slightest chance... "The boundaries of space and time hold no real meaning to you," she said, resolute. "Please, take me to Veldime."

It wasn't the first thing the goddess had expected to hear, but she took immediate interest. "Veldime, you say?" Pandora regarded Sapphire with a slight grin on her face.

Sapphire nodded. "That is correct."

"Hmm... nope!" Pan giggled.

The princess balked. "Why not? Aren't you able to?"

"Theoretically..." Pandora nodded her head. "But I'm not spending all of my time in this tower for fun, you know. I'm in prison, I can't just waltz out."

"Couldn't you just blow the roof off?" Sapphire frowned. It was what she would have done.

Pandora laughed. "Hey, I'm a goddess. Yeah, I _could_, but that'd be breaking the rules, not to mention I gave my word not to wreck the place. I'm trying to be on my best behaviour, so I'm not going to lift a finger to escape so long as this room survives."

"So you really _can't_ help me then," Sapphire sighed.

"Hey now, nobody said tha~at..." Pandora teased, beckoning the princess with a finger. "Come here, let me show you something cool."

Sapphire approached the stone table Pandora was sitting on as the goddess pushed a gunmetal briefcase towards her. "Here's a little secret, just between us two girls," she said, dropping her voice to a teasing, conspiring whisper."I am the Arsenal of the Artisan, and my power is governed by 'creativity'. Unlike some of my more _boring_ brothers and sisters of, aha, 'arms'," Here, she paused to laugh at her own joke, "I'm not limited to one or two forms of weaponry. Off hand, I have access to six-hundred and sixty-six forms and styles of guns, projectiles and firearms. You have to be a million-to-one hotshot to wield me to my fullest."

"Wow... I don't think I need _that _many guns," admitted Sapphire, her mind boggling at the possibilities of possessing that much ammunition. "Well, for now," she amended.

"My point exactly, Saff. Can I call you Saff?" Pandora continued speaking before Sapphire could reply. "Besides, so many dangerous weapons, with only one person to take care of them?" She shook her head ruefully. "No way, too dangerous."

"Couldn't you just-" Sapphire began before Pandora cut her off.

"Saff, hon, I'm a gun," she stressed. "Even as a goddess, I'm a gun. Guns shouldn't pull their own triggers, it stands to reason. But at the same time, I can't go playing favourites if someone you don't like gets his hands on my power. I mean," the goddess reached over into Sapphire's hair, touching the chainsaw she had hidden inside. "Would you hold it against your chainsaw here if it was turned against you?"

"Yes," the princess nodded immediately. "I'd punch it in the throttle and switch from premium to regular oil."

Pandora stared at her for a moment, before bursting into giggles. "Is that right, Saff?" she laughed, her eyes beginning to tear up. "_Regular_ oil? Oh my, I'd certainly think twice about messing with you, that's for sure." She sighed contently, before composing herself. "Regardless, your father would throw a fit if he found out you had run off to another planet with six-hundred guns stolen from his top-security vault, no matter the reasoning."

"But you don't understand!" Sapphire demanded. "I _need _to reach Veldime. This may literally be a matter of life and death!"

"But you don't need all my power to do it," replied Pandora. Before Sapphire could respond, the clasps of the gunmetal case snapped open loudly and light spilled from its opening mouth. Pandora grinned knowingly as the light faded to reveal two handguns resting within, one a polished black, the other a gleaming silver. Sapphire stared in wonder at the instruments of death, so enraptured that she didn't notice Pandora's expression stretch from a Cheshire grin to something far darker and sharper. "A fraction is all it'll take..."

* * *

_Chapter 24 – end –_

* * *

Varanotes: Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Updates are going to continue to be somewhat slow, since I've started college again and I've got another project in the works, one I may post over here once it's done. Don't be afraid of me quitting though, as I said from the very beginning this story is an experiment in storytelling for me. Updates may be slow now and then by the story is always at the back of my mind!

I hope it's clear by now what Ariel's glade of flowers in Celestia actually is...

If anyone is wondering how Jericho can use Magic Knight spells even though he's not one himself, my reasoning is simple: Jericho spent over a hundred years diligently practicing the way of the Magic Knight with the intention of incorporating it into his fighting style. In-game, there's only about a month to train. Mana levels can shoot high up, but it's not enough time to engrave a technique into your soul, so you forget any specialist techniques when you transmigrate.

The actual narrative reason I did it for was to show that even though the likes of Almaz and Aria got ridiculously powerful in a short span of time, there's just some things that can never be reached without hard work and practice. All this talk of mana levels leaves a serious risk for the story to devolve into DBZ or Bleach style power level imbalances, so I'm taking steps to avoid it.

Rule number one of FttK! Never count someone out of a fight before it's even begun!

I have to be quick, so let me just say thanks to all my reviewers – S.E, Mereo Flere, parody 'r' us, Faaairyfairy, The Ansem Man, Macavity Omega, Darth Artemis, GeneralGeneric, Moonlit Wave, axeloftheflame, OverlordMao, Fabricated-Sky, The Genius Mage Divine Wolfe, mikishi sensei, Uber Prinny Lord, The Last Z Fighter, Nanya, Faroush and malonromani!

I'm so freaking thrilled I've hit 200+ reviews, I never thought that'd happen! Leave a review and tell me what you thought!

Until next time,

-Varanus


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